Esmerelda's Dark Secret
by Hallow Sisters On My Mind
Summary: Esmerelda is not all that she seems, she has a big secret she is hiding from the world, but what is her secret? and what does it have to do with Ethel, and why are her parents so set on keeping it hidden? WW 2017.
1. Chapter 1 - Ethel's Birthday

A/N: Hello everyone welcome to a brand new story. This is an idea I have had for an while and have finally decided to write. It is different from anything else I have read but I hope you still enjoy. I hope you enjoy the stargate time traveler, thank you for helping me with ideas for this one.

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 _ **Esmerelda's Dark Secret**_

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Chapter One

 **Ethel's Birthday**

The door was slammed shut as the blonde girl angrily shut it behind herself. Esmerelda Hallow, the eldest Hallow sister, had just had an argument with her parents and she was beyond annoyed. Her cat, Moonlight, saw her enter and stood to attention on her bed, wanting to help her mistress. Esmerelda saw her cat and walked over to her bed and stroked her familiar on the head, feeling calmer as she heard the animal purr contently before she sat on her bed stressed out.

"Why do they never listen? They are fooling themselves if they think this will never get out" Esmerelda told her pet as she stroked her more. In fact, the girl was so annoyed, sparks of magic shot out of the end of her fingertips.

Esmerelda was glad in that moment her sisters were not home. Ethel was out at the library studying and Sybil was spending the day at Clarice's house along with Beatrice. Ethel had asked her sister if she wanted to come to the magical library with her, she had been nicer since she had got her powers returned, but Esmie had declined, today of all days she was struggling to contain her emotions.

Esmerelda had been tricked into giving her magic to Agatha Cackle because she thought it was her headmistress Ada Cackle and not her evil twin sister. She had been powerless for a year but had just gotten her magic back a few weeks ago, thanks to Ethel tricking her into using the founding stone. She was angry at Ethel for doing that because it had nearly spelled disaster for the school, but in the end everything had worked out and Esmerelda was able to return to school.

"Another year has gone by and Ethel has yet to still know the truth" Esmerelda said with a sigh. Today was Ethel's birthday which of course her parents had forgotten, Ethel had not being shocked by that, she couldn't remember the last time they remembered her birthday. Despite the fact Ethel was going to be a third year, she was only thirteen today because of her August birthday, she was in fact the youngest in her year group. Tonight when Sybil returned Esmerelda had planned a little celebration that was to be a surprise and she could not wait to see Ethel's face, though as happy she was for the day Ethel turned thirteen it was always the hardest day of the year for the girl, knowing another year had gone by and Ethel was still being lied too.

Esmerelda pulled gently on the silver chain around her neck to bring the oval shaped locket to the front of her neck and opened the locket gently. She kissed her fingers and touched the picture inside. This locket meant so much to her. She never took it off. She hid it at school under her uniform and it never left her sight. Her sisters didn't even know about it as she didn't want them to ask questions.

The thing was Esmerelda Hallow had a huge secret. It was a secret she had hidden for many years. She wanted more than anything to tell everyone the truth but she couldn't or she would lose the one thing she loves most in the world forever, so she had to keep the deception going.

She stood up in that moment and walked to her bedside table, pulling open her drawers and looking around until she found the big purple book she was looking for. She opened it and started to look at the pictures inside gently, stroking them gently with their fingers and the blonde sat there for hours just looking at the pictures, her heart slowly shattering with each one she saw.

* * *

Sybil returned a few hours later and Ethel just after her loaded with books. Esmerelda told her sister to go to her room and put the books down and then come to the kitchen. Ethel shrugged but went upstairs to put her books in her bedroom before returning downstairs and gasping as she looked around.

There was a few paper chains and banners hang up, one which said Happy Birthday, and there was a yummy looking chocolate cake on the table. Esmerelda and Sybil were stood there smiling at her.

"Happy Birthday Ethie" Esmerelda said and Ethel felt her eyes filling with tears at the gesture but blinked back tears and instead ran to her sisters and hugged them both.

"I thought you forgot" Ethel admitted cuddling into her big sister's embrace and then her little sister's.

" _If only you knew this date more than ever is going to be burned in my memory forever"_ Esmerelda said in her mind hoping Ethel had not heard that or things could get awkward for her.

Esmerelda and Ethel had an ability of telepathy. They could read each other's minds. It was strongest when one of them was feeling something intense but it was always there. Sybil had not inherited this ability though and Ethel had often asked why she hadn't. Esmerelda had explained it was extremely rare for it to happen unless the siblings are twins. Ethel had accepted that thinking they had just a unique gift.

"Of course we didn't you silly girl" Esmerelda told her rubbing her back. Ethel pulled away and smiled.

"The cake looks great" she commented licking her lips by how delicious it looked.

"Esmie and I made it, triple chocolate your favourite" Sybil told her sister who beamed at her. Esmerelda reached behind her and picked up a gift bag.

"We also got you something" Esmerelda told her. As their parents would not help them with gifts they did not have a lot of money between them but Esmerelda always made sure to buy Ethel something and this year her gift was extra special. Ethel took the bag happily and took the tissue paper of the top before taking out a little purple box.

Ethel was just about to open it when there was a small noise and Mr and Mrs Hallow appeared out of nowhere having transferred right into the kitchen.

"What on earth?" Mr Hallow asked looking at all three of his daughters in turn.

"It is Ethel's birthday, we are just having a little celebration" Sybil replied nervously moving closer to Esmerelda as she was scared of her parents.

For some strange reason Mrs Hallow was staring at the purple box in Ethel's hand like it had just insulted her. She snatched it out of her middle daughter's hands before speaking.

"Go upstairs to your rooms now!" Mrs Hallow told them angrily.

"But mum" Ethel said upset. She didn't think it was fair to ruin their party just because they had forgotten her birthday.

"I am not going to tell you again, go now! She shouted seeming even more stressed than she normal was. The girls started to head out the door knowing not to mess with her, before she carried on.

"Esmerelda stay, your father and I need a word" Mrs Hallow said and Esmerelda hanged back watching her sisters go. She sighed wishing she could go with them as her parents started.

* * *

"What on earth are you playing at?" her mother asked her holding up the purple box she had given to Ethel and turning red from anger.

"I am not lying about this anymore!" Esmerelda replied, fed up of having to lie to Ethie everyday.

"Don't you dare tell her, she can never know" Mr Hallow replied glaring at his daughter.

"Why not?" Esmerelda asked annoyed and frustrated.

"It will bring shame onto the name of Hallow" Mrs Hallow told her daughter, looking at her like she was crazy for asking and it should be obvious.

"So did forging a scroll to get Cackle fired and getting kicked of the Magic Council but you still chose to do it" Esmerelda replied glaring at them.

"Be quiet!" Mr Hallow told her not appreciating her attitude.

"Why not? I don't want to keep quiet anymore, I am done hiding this, I am going to tell both Ethel and Sybil the truth!" Esmerelda replied determined she was going to do it and not caring what they thought about it.

Her mother suddenly grabbed her arm then and Esmie squirmed as she felt her arm hurt as a burn formed on it, her mother glared daggers at her before speaking.

"I don't think so, we can make Ethel's life hell" Mrs Hallow told her daughter and Esmie was amazed at that.

"You already do!" Esmerelda pointed out. They treated Ethel terribly. They treated Ethel like dirt.

"Don't push us Esmerelda we can get rid of Ethel and you will never see her again" Mr Hallow threatened knowing her not being able to see her sisters again would be the thing in the world that would kill her the most. Esmerelda's face turned worried.

"You wouldn't" she said not wanting to believe they would really do anything that bad to Ethel.

"Do you want to take that chance?" her father asked her with a glare and Esmerelda shook her head.

"No please, don't hurt Ethel" she said starting to panic about Ethie.

"If you keep your mouth shut we will not touch her, if you tell her….well I don't think you will like what will happen" Mrs Hallow told her daughter squeezing her arm more as if to warn her.

Esmerelda wanted to tell Ethel. She wanted to go behind her parents back and tell her, no matter the consequences but she knew what her parents would do if she told Ethel and it would be both of them fighting for their lives. She couldn't tell Ethel. At least not now.

"I won't tell her, just please leave her alone" Esmerelda begged wanting reassuring her sister was going to be okay.

"We won't hurt Ethel, we will keep our side of the deal" Mrs Hallow told her and Esmie nodded before she started to speak.

"Can I go now?" she asked her parents.

"Yes you may go" her father said before taking the purple box of his wife's hand and holding it tightly.

"And we will be keeping this, you obviously can't be trusted with it, now on you go" the man said and Esmerelda rushed out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

Esmerelda walked into her bedroom and closed the door gently and slid down the door so she was sitting on the floor before she started to sob badly into her hands, for once not caring who heard her. Esmerelda was not one to ever cry, even in private. She had learned only to cry on the inside and not the outside but every year on Ethel's birthday without fail she cried on the outside and this year was no exception as she got into bed crying herself to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2 - Ethel and Potions

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Chapter Two

 **Ethel and Potions**

Esmerelda was sat with her sisters at the table as they ate their dinner. Their parents were out at work so they got a little bit of peace of them. Esmerelda watched Sybil take a bite of her food, pull a disgusted face, and then swallow. Mr and Mrs Hallow never remembered what they liked so they hated eating at home, and the school food was no better, which was probably none of them were big eaters. The staff in the kitchen were not allowed to make them anything else, they were only allowed to eat at their set meal times so the three sisters struggled along eating the disgusting food.

"So, do either of you have any schoolwork to do over the summer?" Esmerelda asked trying to distract her sisters from what they were eating. Sybil smiled on Esmie's left side and nodded.

"I have my potions project, you know the one Ethel did last year that she ended up leaving behind?" Sybil commented which was met with a glare by Ethel.

"YOU left it behind, you were the one who was meant to be packing my things" Ethel replied, holding her fork down as she spoke.

"But you unpacked it when you took everything else to repack" Sybil pointed out, thinking it was not fair she was getting the blame in this. Esmerelda was grateful in that moment she was sat between them, or they would probably be trying to kill each other by now.

"Oi, no arguing" Esmerelda told them "It does not matter whose fault it was, it happened last year after all" Esmerelda told her sisters and Ethel rolled her eyes but fell silent.

"Have you chosen a project yet Sybil, do you need any help?" Esmerelda then asked the younger girl who shook her head.

"No thanks, I am working on it, this time I will be impressing everyone with my top marks" Sybil said with a smile, clearly she had an idea but was not going to tell her sisters. Esmie smiled back at her then turned to look at Ethel.

"How about you Ethie?" Esmie asked her as she picked up her glass and drank some of the water in it.

"I have some work, but don't get to excited, I am not going to get top marks" Ethel said looking at her plate sadly as she sighed.

"What makes you say that?" Esmerelda asked narrowing her eyebrows in confusion. She knew full well that Ethel was the top achiever in her year group next to Maud Spellbody.

"I am not getting top marks because I just threw my work together, what is the point? Mildred Hubble will come along and somehow impress everyone and get all the praise, it doesn't matter what I do, Mildred is always more impressive so I have given up trying" Ethel replied with a shrug and Esmie's look of confusion turned to worry.

Esmerelda knew Ethel and Mildred had problems and yes it was true Mildred somehow managed to save the day a lot of the time but Ethel was passionate about work, even if she knew she was not going to be looked on as highly as Mildred she would still work hard to try to do just that. Her giving up worried Esmerelda and in that moment she hated her parents.

The year before Ethel started at Cackles, when she was ten, Esmerelda had convinced her grandparents to take her to the doctor. Her little sister was always so miserable and never seemed to be happy for a long period of time. Her grandparents were honestly worried too so they had taken their middle granddaughter to the doctor. He had done a few assignments on Ethel and he had diagnosed her with depression and anxiety. He had given her some pills and told her to take them to help her with her problems and she had taken them. Esmerelda had seen an improvement, yes she was still depressed and still had anxiety but nowhere near as bad as she was before. A week after getting them their parents had discovered them and vanished them. They could not stand the shame of having a 'mental daughter' as they called it, so Ethel had being without her pills and her illnesses her only grown worse the last three years.

"Ethie...don't give up" Esmerelda told her sadly. Not wanting her sister to give up on her work when she could achieve so much.

Ethel shrugged and played with the food on the end of her fork as she leaned her head on her hand with her left hand, to depressed to talk anymore about it. Esmerelda opened her mouth to tell Ethel something when their parents appeared in the dining room.

"Esmerelda we need to see you" Mr Hallow told his eldest daughter. Ethel rolled her eyes and stood up and left the room, just wanting to be alone in her depressive state. Though Esmerelda was terrified of leaving her alone.

* * *

"Now Esmie" Mrs Hallow told her. Esmie stood up and smiled at Sybil before walking over to her parents. When she got close enough to them they transferred away and Esmerelda found herself standing in her parents private office. This place made her shudder. She had spent many a nights in here listening to her parents lecturing her about the family business, the worse nights of her life.

"Sit" her father told her. Esmerelda knew better than to argue so she went and sat on one of the chairs near her father's desk and her parents walked to the other side of the room. Esmerelda placed her hands on her knees and straightened her back, not wanting her parents to tell her off for not sitting like a lady, she also sat in silence knowing better than to ask them questions.

Esmerelda was growing bored but just as she was wondering why she was here her parents walked towards her carrying a yellow potion in a glass beaker. Esmerelda saw the potion and jumped up, trying to refuse.

"Sit back down" Mrs Hallow said seeing her daughter's reaction to the liquid.

"No please, I hate it" Esmerelda said knowing exactly what that potion was. It was a potion her parents forced her to take every six months and it was something that always gave her nightmares to think about.

"How are we supposed to keep everything a secret if you don't take this?" her father asked and Esmerelda sighed.

"Ma…...maybe it is time we told people" Esmerelda suggested. Every single day she was going through her life when she was lying to everyone in the world she loved and cared about, it got harder for her.

Her mother started to laugh then, as if what her daughter had suggested was funny, Esmerelda glared at her knowing she thought her idea was stupid. It honestly scared her though seeing her mother laughing so much as it was such a rare occurrence.

"As if we would allow that to happen" Mrs Hallow said before her face changed to a look of anger "We can do this the easy way or the hard way" Mrs Hallow told her, Esmerelda gulped knowing if she did not just drink the potion they would force her too.

She took the potion out of her father's hand just telling herself to do it quickly and not to think to much in to it, it would honestly just make it worse if she did that. She therefore took the potion and drank it quickly just waiting for the bad bit to start.

She nearly dropped the beaker on the floor as her body was thrown forward. She felt an intense pain going through her body, it was the same reaction Ethel had to the clone spell last year but stronger. The blonde flew more forward then and onto her knees as the potion's effects set themselves in. Her parents watched her and waited. She could feel her skin tingling and sweat dripping down her face as the spell took over her body. Finally, after a few minutes it was over and she breathed heavily trying to catch her breath.

"That wasn't so bad was it?" Mr Hallow asked her and Esmerelda shook her head knowing it would be better just to agree even if the girl felt like she was about to throw up.

"Right, another six months and then we will do this again" Mrs Hallow said "You may go" she said clicking her fingers and transferring her daughter.

* * *

Esmerelda landed on her bedroom floor hard and clutched her stomach as she winded herself. She proceeded to sit on the floor for a good five minutes trying to catch her breath from the feeling in her stomach. Once it had passed she stood up and looked in her bedroom mirror seeing herself covered in sweat, her hair was plastered to her forehead from the sweat there, she hated having to take that potion more than anything. She knew in order to keep the deception going she had to but it did not mean she had to like it.

She sat on her bed with a sigh, glad it was over for another six months but worried as well. Ethel was getting worse in her depressive state, with everything that had happened the last few years her mental state had really being affected and as she got older it only got much worse as she was starting to realise the truth such as her parents did not love her. Esmerelda was afraid of her sister doing something stupid because no-one at school, apart from her, Sybil and Felicity, bothered with her and she could not protect her the whole time.

Yes she was worried. But she had another reason to be so worried about Ethel too. It physically killed her inside to see Ethel in such a deep state of depression, Ethel was her universe and more so than she would ever know.

Esmie opened the locket around her neck and held it tightly as she lay on her bed, trying to tell Ethel through their telepathy she was there for her knowing it was pointless to go and find Ethel when she was crying because she would only become embarrassed and angry and what could Esmie say? She would be a hypocrite if she told her she knew how it felt to be rejected.

"Stay strong baby" she whispered to the air hoping Ethel could hear her and hoping it gave her strength.


	3. Chapter 3 - Family Trees

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Chapter Three

 **Family Trees**

The summer holidays passed quickly and before long all three sisters were back at school and glad of that fact. As Art classes had been such a success the year before they were still being help by a new teacher called Luna Lamplighter. A woman with frizzy long chestnut coloured hair who dressed in wacky pastel colours but she was already popular with the students because of her calm nature.

"Why do we have to do family trees again?" Ethel asked Felicity one day during class. They had done a lesson on this last year but were recovering it as Miss Lamplighter thought it was important for all the girls to know their history. Mildred's tree was still a pot plant and Ethel's was still a grand tall tree. Felicity had not really paid to much attention to Ethel's last year as she had been focusing on hers but this year when she looked at it she noticed some things she had not noticed before.

"Why are your sisters not on your tree?" Felicity asked Ethel. Ethel proceeded to look on all the branches for the familiar faces of Esmerelda and Sybil but Felicity was right. For some strange reason they were not on there.

"Erm miss….are siblings meant to appear?" Ethel asked the teacher wearing a look of worry and confusion. The teacher turned to look at Ethel.

"They should, sometimes if they are not full siblings and only half or step siblings no, but if you are full sisters it should" the teacher told Ethel as she looked at the tree confused.

"Bella is on my mine" another third year called Wendy said. Ethel looked at her in horror. Bella was her stepsister. They didn't have the same mum or dad so why did Bella appear but Esmie and Sybil were not on hers?

"Ethel your parents are higher up than my parents" Gloria pointed out then realising that her parents were on higher branches than her own.

Ethel was horrified and didn't know what to say. Luckily in that moment the bell rang and she was spared having to explain it to anyone. Most of the class stared at her as they left the lesson and Ethel told Felicity and Gloria she would see them later and made there way out of the classroom, walking down the corridor until she saw Sybil and her second year friends, Clarice Twigg and Beatrice Bunch, outside the chanting classroom.

* * *

"Sybs, can I borrow you for a minute?" Ethel asked. Sybil looked at her friends and shrugged but nodded smiling at her sister before telling Clarice and Beatrice she would catch them up and walking to her sister.

"What is wrong?" Sybil asked her sister concerned and Ethel took a deep breath before talking.

"Have you had your lesson on family trees yet?" Ethel asked her and Sybil nodded.

"Yes we had it yesterday" Sybil replied to her sister.

"Can I see your tree?" Ethel asked her. Sybil did not understand why she wanted to see it but she shrugged and nodded.

"Sure" Sybil said as the two younger blonde sisters started to make their way to the art classroom. Ethel walked next to her sister in silence, to shocked and worried to speak.

Arriving in the classroom, Sybil started to look over at one side of the room for her tree and found it before calling Ethel over.

"Here it is, I never realised before how huge our family is compared to everyone else's, our family tree is nearly double in size" Sybil commented as she looked at her tree and Ethel went and stood next to her to look too.

At first glance, if you were not really paying attention to detail, you would think her tree was exactly the same as Ethel's but when Ethel looked closer she realised something. Their mother and father were lower down on Sybil's tree, and all three sisters were on the tree but they were on the tree in an odd way. Esmerelda and Sybil were just below their parents on one row, but Ethel was underneath them on the next branches of trees, but with the way the branches were it was hard to tell Ethel was on a different row, which is why Sybil hadn't noticed. Ethel though did notice and in her shock she nearly walked into a table knocking the things over.

"What is wrong?" Sybil asked concerned seeing Ethel's reaction to the tree. Without taking the time to look at Esmerelda's tree (the whole school were doing family trees that week) Ethel turned around and bounded out the door, Sybil ran after her knowing something was wrong.

* * *

If Esmerelda had noticed this she properly would have gone to see what was wrong with Ethel only the eldest blonde was sat in Ada's office, being scowled.

"Esmerelda I know you had a year off, but I thought you would remember the behaviour we expect here" Ada told the girl, irritated with her.

"I don't want to make a family tree, you can't force me too" Esmerelda replied with her arms folded.

That was why the girl was sat in the office. She had an art lesson that morning and when they had been told they were making a family tree Esmerelda refused to make one and had gotten into an argument with the teacher. She had then proceeded to throw her sapling on the floor and sent soil everywhere and then walked out of the room without cleaning it up.

"Why ever not? I thought everyone liked making the family trees?" Ada commented honestly confused as to why the young blonde was so against making the tree but Esmerelda knew she couldn't make the tree. If she made it her whole secret would be revealed.

"I don't, the only people I like in my family are Ethel and Sybil, I don't want everyone else's faces on a tree, I really don't want to make one" Esmerelda replied with a sigh.

Ada knew the girl had another reason for not wanting to make a family tree but she couldn't force the girl to make one. Ada nodded before replying.

"Fine you don't have to make a family tree, I still want the essay though" Ada told her not letting the girl get out of work that easily.

"Okay miss thank you" Esmerelda said before being told she could leave. Once she was gone Ada sat down with Hecate and Luna and sighed.

"Well that was just odd" Hecate pointed out, having never heard anything like it.

"Yes well, her sisters tree was a strange one, Esmerelda and Sybil were not on Ethel's tree for some reason, maybe Esmerelda knows something we don't?" Luna suggested causing Ada and Hecate to look at each other in worry and shock. It made no sense why the girls would not be on the tree, was there a secret the family was hiding?

* * *

Ethel stormed upstairs to her bedroom and walked through the door, feeling like she was about to explode. Sybil followed her in knowing she was more than likely about to be screamed at, but she couldn't just leave her.

"Ethel? What is going on? You are scaring me now" Sybil told her honestly wondering why Ethel was acting so oddly.

"My tree...you and Esmie were not on my tree…..that has to mean something doesn't it?" Ethel said as she looked at her little sister touching her head and trying not to panic.

"I am sure there is an explanation" Sybil told Ethel, seeing how much of a state she was getting in because of this.

"Oh like what exactly? Maybe like the fact I am not your sister" Ethel said as teas fell down her cheeks and she did not even know why. She had not wanted to say it but she could not think of anyone reason for it. If they were not her biological sisters and she was adopted it would explain everything, though it still didn't explain why she was in such an odd place on Sybil's.

"Of course you are! "Sybil said walking to Ethel and putting her arm around her "We are sisters, maybe the magic was not working properly on the tree or something, I am sure it is nothing" Sybil said to Ethel trying to comfort her.

Ethel burst into tears then and she did not even know why. Sybil was right it was probably nothing but she had this feeling deep inside her that it was true and she was not their sister and she didn't know if she could cope with knowing her whole life has been a lie. Plus she was so attached to both of her sisters, she didn't want anything to change.

"Don't cry Ethel" Sybil said putting her arm around her older sister and trying to comfort her. She was shocked, this was not like Ethel at all. It must have really affected her but Sybil had no doubt they were sisters. Ethel looked exactly like the rest of the family.

Ethel cried more then and Sybil didn't know what to do but just keep hugging her closely. She told herself to go talk to Esmie later.

"We will sort this Ethel, don't worry" Sybil said rubbing her sister's back.

"What if it is true Sybil?" Ethel asked her looking at her with her cheeks stained with tears.

"Don't be so silly Ethel, you are most certainly a Hallow" Sybil told her sister as she cuddled her tightly.


	4. Chapter 4 - Lost Sister?

A/N: This is where the secret is really starting to come to light! I know some of you have probably guessed already but this is where it picks up!

* * *

Chapter Four

 **Lost Sister?**

Ethel cried for a while longer until Sybil apologised but told her she had to go, she had potions and HB would kill her if she bunked off. Ethel sighed and nodded as she was left alone wondering what on earth she would do. She thought maybe Esmerelda might know something. She stood up and walked out of her bedroom, the corridors were fairly quiet as everyone was in lessons but Esmie had a free period so it was the perfect time to talk to her.

Ethel walked up the stairs to her sisters room and like she had gotten into the habit of doing, she stormed in without knocking, talking before she even got through the door.

"Esmie I need to tal..." she stopped as she realised her sister's bedroom was empty and figured she was properly in the library studying. Ethel sighed and was prepared to go find her but her feet moved further into the bedroom and she found herself stood in front of Esmerelda's bookshelf. She wondered then if her sister had a book on family trees and started to look through the shelf.

* * *

Esmerelda was in the library like Ethel had suspected but she was not doing schoolwork, she was trying to find a way to change Ethel and Sybil's tree before either girl noticed something out of place, the library was empty so she could look in peace.

The thing was Esmerelda knew what Ethel's tree would look like if she didn't do something and with Ethel always looking at things so closely she knew she would notice the strange things her tree would show.

* * *

Ethel was still in her sister's room looking for some books. She wasn't exactly snooping, her sister told her she could look at her books. After she had read yet another book which told her nothing useful, she stood up and angrily put it back on the shelf but it would not go back, something was trapping it and Ethel put her hand behind the bookshelf to pull out what was trapping it and it was only as she held it Ethel realised she was holding something she had never expected to find,

In her hand she held an old newspaper, it must have been at least a few years old because it was faded and yellowing. Ethel unfolded it to read the headline and got the shock of her life at what she read. She was so shocked she covered her mouth horrified. The newspaper was the witching daily, the most common witches newspaper, and the headline read.

 **HALLOW DAUGHTER DIES IN TRAGIC ACCIDENT**

Ethel just stared at the paper in shock as she kept reading the article.

 _Miriam Hallow, only daughter of Triton and Ursula Hallow has unfortunately died in a tragic accident. The teenager, fourteen, was hit by a stray spell after a fight broke out in the local area and was killed instantly. The Hallow family refused to comment on this and we respect their wishes and will leave them to grieve._

Miriam Hallow? Ethel had never heard of the girl in her whole life but apparently she had another sister who had died before her and her sisters had been born it would seem to her. Her parents had another child? How had they never known? And how did Esmerelda know? Ethel had never heard mention of the victims name and as she looked closely at the picture on the front, she realised she had never seen the girl before. Something just didn't make sense. Her parents were not that old how could they have had another child before?

Ethel then looked at the year off the newspaper and saw it said '1st September 2008' in small writing. She was surprised her parents never mentioned their precious older daughter and why would they make the death so public? It was out of her family's character. Hallow's liked to keep everything hidden in their personal lives.

Ethel went to her bedroom then, leaving everything how she had found it but taking the newspaper. She started to look through her history books on Cackles, looking for anything that might tell her more about this mysterious older Hallow but there was nothing in there she could find. Ethel had no idea why but she had a suspicion this girl was the key to why her family tree was messed up so much. That was when Ethel made a decision.

* * *

That night, Ethel sneaked out of her bed. She knew tomorrow when Sybil saw Esmie she would tell her about the tree, she hadn't got a chance tonight as all three of them had been busy so tonight was her one chance of finding information by herself. She sneaked down to Miss Cackle's office, she knew if she was caught here she would be out of Cackles in a second but she had to know the truth.

Ethel used a quick spell to unlock the office down and sneaked in, walking quietly and slowly and carefully in the darkened room. She found the light switch and turned it on before walking over to Ada's desk and unlocking her cabinets. In this cabinet was files for all the girls who had ever attended Cackles and Ethel quickly looked for the 'H's'. There was Hallow's she had never heard of before, who were her ancestors but then there was, Josephine Hallow and Ursula Hallow. Her mother and grandmother. She was tempted to read what they had done in their school days but that was not important right now. She kept looking and saw a file saying 'Miriam Hallow' curiously she picked it up to look at it and realised it was quite thick.

Most of it was about detentions the girl had got for silly pranks and Ethel could not help but smirk about that, so she was not the only one who liked to cause trouble after all. She looked for anything that could be of interest to her for what she needed to know.

Most of the file was boring, it didn't have anything of interest but there was something that Ethel could not help thinking was odd. Right at the end there was a mention that the girl would no longer be attending Cackles as she had passed away due to an accident. It said exactly the same as what the newspaper had said but what Ethel found the most interesting was the comments from the teachers months before the accident.

' _Miriam is as pale as a ghost, I worry the girl has fallen ill'_ Miss Hardbroom had wrote just three months before her death.

' _The young girl seems under the weather, she seems unable to concentrate on anything at presen_ _t'_ Miss Cackle had commented with a note saying 'Need to discuss at staff meeting'. There was more notes on that too and something came to Ethel then that horrified her.

It was clear that Miriam had being very sick before she died, although in the file it gave no hint to what her illness actually was, Ethel could not help but think it was the real reason for her death. Had no-one taken the illness seriously? If Mr and Mrs Hallow were found to have let their daughter die of an illness because they left her sick it could of being seen as neglect. They would have lost everything because of that. Ethel could not help wondering what was wrong with the girl, in fact her whole behaviour had seemed to change.

All the records of bad behaviour seemed to cease when the girl fell ill and Ethel then started to look through the file for a report from the nurse. Ethel found one then but she was disappointed.

' _Student is pale and sickly, done examination and the girl would appear to have the witches flu, should rest for the next few weeks'_

Ethel narrowed her eyebrows in confusion at shat. The witches flu was worse than normal flu because magic affected the virus and made it worse but from everything Ethel knew about the illness it didn't seem to be what Miriam had suffered from.

She had heard of people fainting and vomiting and coughing and sneezing before but Miriam did not appear to have any of them symptoms and Ethel could not help but think the nurse had been mistaken.

She still did not know how Esmerelda had found out about this and why she had not told herself and Sybil they had another sister, Esmerelda hated keeping anything from them that is why Ethel knew in that moment something else was up with this death. It was fishy from beginning to end.

Ethel was also confused as to why this girl changed things for her family tree, she knew the answer laid in this but she didn't know the answer, was this why Esmerelda had refused to work on the family tree? Was she worried Miriam would turn up and people, more specifically her and Sybil, would ask questions? It seemed likely.

Ethel told herself enough snooping around for now. She would run the risk of being caught if she was not careful and she figured she had found out everything she was going to find out in here.

* * *

As she was making her way back to her room Ethel thought of everything and the realisation she might have another sister finally hit her and hit her hard. She couldn't take it in that her parents had a child prior to her and Esmerelda and Sybil and there was so much mystery around her sister she wanted to find out more.

Esmerelda had kept that newspaper, did that mean she knew more about Miriam or had she found that newspaper and used it to blackmail their parents about something? Either way Esmerelda seemed to be the one who would have the answers she was looking for.

Tomorrow, when Esmerelda was not there she would have to check her room in more detail. Ethel had no evidence to go on but that newspaper but she somehow knew all the answers she was looking for would be in Esmerelda's room.


	5. Chapter 5 - More Information

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Chapter Five

 **More Information**

The next day Ethel sneaked out of her chanting lesson once Miss Bat had fallen asleep. No-one said anything and let her run off and Ethel quietly and slowly sneaked up to the dorms, knowing someone could see her walking past in another classroom. Ethel sneaked to Esmerelda's room and knowing she didn't have much time as her free lesson was going to be over sooner than it felt she got to work straight away.

She looked through Esmerelda's drawers first not finding anything of interest in there, except some leftover coven letters which she looked at for a few minutes before she carried on with her task of finding something of importance to do with her mysterious sister.

She moaned annoyed when she found nothing that was going to help her and turned around to look at the bookshelf again. That was where she had found the newspaper, maybe there was more information on the bookshelf itself.

Ethel quickly used a spell to clear the books of the shelf and coughed at the dust on the old shelf. She looked through various books for any hidden pieces of paper before turning to the shelf itself. Ethel sighed as the shelf looked bare and not as if it was concealing anything but then as she stepped closer she noticed the back of the wall was a slightly different colour.

"Reveal to me your secrets" Ethel said as she waved her hand and a secret compartment opened. Ethel had to give Esmerelda credit, she was so smart she knew no-one would think she had a secret compartment hidden in her bookshelf. Ethel reached into the tiny space and found a small shoe sized cardboard box in there. She suddenly gasped as she heard voices outside the room. She flicked her fingers and closed the compartment and sent the books flying back on the shelf as fast as she could. She knew she didn't have time to run as Esmie would see her so she threw herself under the bed just as Esmerelda opened the door. She hummed to herself as she took some books of her shelf and then left again. Ethel breathed a sigh of relief and ran to her room holding the box. She sat on her bed locking the door.

* * *

"I think I might of found some answers Nightstar" Ethel said cuddling her familiar as she came to rub against Ethel as she sat down. Ethel took a deep breath and opened the box.

Inside was a small rolled up piece of paper. It reminded her of the birth scroll Mildred had found in the mists of time. That had told everyone Agatha was actually the older sister. Ethel picked up this scroll and ran it through her fingers, for some reason terrified as to what it would say.

She looked at it wondering if this would tell her more. Was it Miriam's death certificate? Was she about to find out more about this young girl. Ethel suddenly felt a chill and she had no idea why, even if it was her death certificate she already knew she had died but Ethel had to put the scroll down as she suddenly felt like she was about to read something bad, something life changing. It was a feeling that things would never be the same again.

"I don't know if I should look Nightstar" Ethel said to her familiar scratching behind her ears as she looked in the box to see if anything else was in there but there box was completely empty. Ethel turned back to look at the scroll, that same cold feeling still coming over her.

"Something bad is going to be on this scroll Nightstar, remember how much trouble the last one gave us? I don't know if I want to look" Ethel said as she kept stroking the black cat.

It was funny. Ethel had been looking forward to finding out more about Miriam, in fact she had been more curious than angry but now it came to it she was not sure she wanted to know anymore. If it was such a deeply hidden secret then maybe it was not meant to be discovered. The bell rang then for breaktime and Ethel hid the scroll in her drawer. She wasn't ready to look yet, but she knew someone who could tell her more.

* * *

She rushed to the chanting classroom hoping Miss Bat hadn't left yet. The woman was the oldest member of staff, if anyone would know Miriam it was her. It wasn't that long ago she had attended so Ethel suspected the other teachers probably knew her too but she was not going to talk to them when they had let her down so badly in the past. She closed the door and cleared her throat as the woman was turned away from her.

"I thought you were ill?" the woman said as Felicity had used that excuse for Ethel leaving.

"I am, I still feel light-headed" Ethel said touching her head pretending she was woozy. "But I need to ask you something" Ethel said knowing Miss Bat was the right person to ask. She probably would still be punished for ditching class but she was prepared for that.

"About what?" the woman asked curiously as she looked at her blonde pupil.

"Do you remember a pupil by the name of Miriam Hallow?" Ethel asked hoping as the woman had been at the school so long she would remember.

Miss Bat gasped at the name so she clearly remembered. Ethel carried on talking before she could grow suspicious.

"She is…my cousin" Ethel lied only hoping Miss Bat did not remember that she was the daughter of Triton and Ursula. "My sisters and I discovered her on our family tree and well...we just want to know more about her, what was she like?" Ethel asked. Miss Bat looked at her as if trying to decide what to say but figured telling her the truth would do no harm.

"Yes I remember her, a Hallow in and out!" Miss Bat replied with a small smile.

"What do you mean?" Ethel asked not understandng.

"Well she was a troublemaker, I can't remember a day that went by when that girl did not find herself in trouble, she was not a bad person but she liked to play pranks on people and mess around a lot, she drove all the teachers mad!" Miss Bat replied with a chuckle and Ethel smiled. She sounded like her.

"She was extremely clever for her age though, some of the things she used to do were something no-one else would ever think of, yes Miriam and that boy were never out of trouble" Miss Bat explained to Ethel.

A boy? What boy? Ethel had never heard of this part of the story before, and how could a boy be causing trouble around the school, Cackles was always a girls school as far as Ethel knew, Ethel's expression turned to one of confusion as she replied to her teacher.

"Sorry, what boy?" Ethel asked her curiously.

"Ahh, this young boy from one of the wizards school, he was always hanging around Cackles no matter how many times he was told not to, it was very clear Miriam was besotted with the young boy, yes the girl did not have many friends in the school as far as I could remember, I am sure she was an only child as well, but she spent all her time with the boy" Miss Bat explained as best as she could to Ethel.

"What was his name?" Ethel asked wondering if she had ever heard the name before.

"I am sorry I just can't remember, he was a lovely boy though, he seemed to really care about Miriam, sadly I never saw him again after Miriam….." Miss Bat stopped talking then clearly thinking she had said to much.

"After her death?" Ethel finished for her and Miss Bat looked at her surprised she knew, "What do you remember about that?" Ethel asked her hoping the woman was not really confused as to why she was asking her so much.

"I don't recall much, it happened outside of school" Miss Bat said her expression turning sad "From what I heard Miriam was out with I assume this boy during the summer, the area they were at was packed with people enjoying their summer, anyway a witches duel broke out between a few witches and Miriam was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, she was hit by a stray spell and killed, it was a tragedy" the woman said looking teary. Ethel felt her heart hurt at that. She might not know the girl but somehow she felt connected to her.

"There was not another Hallow at the school until Esmerelda started, in fact your family disappeared entirely for a few years" the woman told Ethel and now she was confused even more, how could her family just disappear.

"Where too?" Ethel asked Miss Bat knowing it was a long shot that she knew.

"I don't know dear, I think everyone was just grieving and wanted some time to themselves for a while, the death knocked the whole witching world hard" Miss Bat told Ethel who smiled at her gently.

"Thank you for telling me so much, I am sorry if it brought up bad memories" Ethel told Miss Bat. The woman nodded and touched her shoulder.

"I think it is fair for you to know your history" the woman told Ethel who nodded and then went back to her room. She had learned so much from that one conversation and now she felt like she could look at the scroll, whatever it said, it was her history like Miss Bat said.

* * *

Ethel took the scroll out of the drawer, prepared now for whatever it might say. She knew it might even have something to do with the boy. The boy. Ethel wish she knew more about him, he might be a key part to the story but right now that was not important. Right now she just had to know what that scroll said.

Ethel took the scroll and unrolled it reading it carefully. What it said on that scroll was the last thing in the world Ethel expected to be reading and it shook her to the core.


	6. Chapter 6 - Her Real Mother

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Chapter Six

 **Her Real Mother**

 _Certificate of adoption_

 _This is to certify that Ethel Hallow has officially being adopted by Triton and Ursula Hallow on the 23rd August 2005._

 _Signed: Triton Hallow – Adoptive Father Ursula Hallow – Adoptive mother_

Ethel felt her heart shattering as she read the scroll. A scroll of her adoption just days after her birth. It made sense now why her parents were so awful to as her they were not even her biological parents, Esmerelda and Sybil were not even her sisters but something still made no sense.

Why had her adoptive parents adopted her in the first place? They were cold people and didn't bother with their children. They had had Sybil one year after they had had Ethel so it was not as if they could not have any more children to give Esmerelda a sibling, so why. As Ethel looked furthur down the document she noticed something then at the bottom.

 _Signed: Miriam Hallow – Biological mother_

* * *

Ethel nearly fell of her bed in shock at that. This young girl Ethel had been researching was her real mother. Next to it was supposed to be the space for her father to sign but it was blank, clearly he had either not agreed to this or known nothing about it. Ethel felt tears falling down her face and she started to cry.

Her entire life was a lie. She had no sisters, her parents were not her real parents and she was adopted off like she was a piece of meat that no-one wanted. She thinks the thing that killed her inside most though was Esmerelda knew about this and had never told her. She had lied to her like everyone else had and she was always the person Ethel felt like would be truthful with her. Her heart broke into a million pieces in that moment and she cried into her hands wishing she had never discovered about Miriam or this stupid scroll but as she sat there sobbing more questions started to flow through her mind.

Miriam was her parents eldest daughter. She did not believe for a second that her parents would let her keep a child if she had had them out of wedlock and was a teenager so how had Miriam convinced them not to make her end the pregnancy? Had she hid it but how, even at school that must be difficult. Ethel remembered then about the reports of the girl being ill months before her death and realised she was not sick but was pregnant, but how on earth had no-one known that?

And that boy she was always supposedly hanging around with, was that her father? What had happened to him? Ethel suspected he left when the girl told him about the pregnancy but then how had he just disappeared? People would have never let him go once they found out he was related to the Hallows, once you are associated with the Hallow family people cling to you and watch you like a hawk.

And then there was Miriam's death. Had her death being caused by something else, childbirth complications maybe? If so her parents adopting her made even less sense, if they had no one fighting against them to keep this child that was shaming the Hallow name why would they? They could have gotten her adopted elsewhere or hidden her completely. There was also the matter that Miriam had signed the adoption papers, had she made that decision before her death? Or was that forged? Her mother had forged a whole bunch of signatures last year to get Ada Cackle expelled, Ethel would not put it past her to forge her daughters signature.

Ethel stopped crying then and just covered her face trying to make sense of everything in her head but none of it made sense to her at all. As she sat there heartbroken trying to get her head around the fact she was adopted something else came to her and it was something she had not even thought of beforehand.

This adoption took place in 2005. Esmerelda was born in 2003. Esmerelda had known Miriam briefly before her death, or her supposed death, Ethel was starting to wonder if that had being a hoax to fool the witching world. Yes Esmerelda would have been two years old at the time but she had still known Miriam. Did Esmerelda remember anything about her at all? She was not sure she would haven't being so young but she was fed up about being lied to, this time she wanted the truth.

* * *

Esmie had spoken to Sybil and was walking down the corridors worried out of her mind. Ethel knew about the family tree and was suspicious, she knew what Ethel was like and knew she would be snooping around trying to find more information. She rushed to her sisters bedroom, thinking of a way to stop Ethel from thinking she was adopted when Ethel came out of her bedroom crying her heart out. Esmerelda rushed to her darling little sister, her heart breaking as she saw her cry.

"Ethie?" Esmerelda said rushing closer to her as she saw her sister was distraught.

"I….I know.." Ethel said and it was only as Esmerelda looked down she saw Ethel had a scroll clutched in her hand and she knew exactly what it was. Esmie took a step back as she felt her heart drop to her stomach. She was to late, Ethel knew everything.

"You knew! You knew I was adopted, how could you lie to me about it, and not only that you never told me or Sybil about Miriam, don't you think we deserve to know" Ethel said through her tears looking at her sister with such a look of hurt in her eyes Esmerelda nearly burst into tears herself.

"Ethel...it is complicated" she said knowing here was no point lying and pretending she didn't know.

"I don't care, I hate you!" Ethel said pushing her arm of her shoulder as Esmie had put it around her to comfort her.

"Ethel listen!" Esmerelda said knowing Ethel would be impossible to talk to if she got inconsolable.

"No, you can't tell me what to do anymore, you are not even my sister!" Ethel said harshly and that was what did it for Esmerelda.

Esmerelda was known for keeping her true feelings in. If you did a survey and asked the pupils and the teachers how many of them had seen the girl cry the answer would probably be 98% no and the 2% would be Ethel and Sybil. She was not a crier. She of course was human, she cried like anyone else but not in front of others. She was so good at keeping control of her emotions people sometimes worried the girl could not feel anything but in that moment, despite the fact she was stood in the middle of the third year corridor and anyone could be walking past, she burst into tears. Ethel was so shocked by her sister's public act of emotion she just stared at her.

"Esmie?" Ethel said looking worried and she mentally slapped herself for going to far, she always had a way of upsetting everyone, no wonder her biological mother had decided to get rid of her.

Esmerelda slid down the wall and sat on the floor just crying and not responding to Ethel. Ethel was angry at herself but she was so worried, she never saw Esmie break down like this. Ethel kneeled on the floor next to her and looked at her.

* * *

"Esmie, I am sorry, I didn't mean it….I just….well my whole life has been a lie….I just don't know why you of all people hid the truth from me" Ethel told her not trying to guilt trip her but just telling her how much that had hurt her.

"I am sorry….I didn't want to lie" Esmerelda replied, speaking into her lap as she sobbed badly.

"I always knew deep down I had been adopted, that is why mum and dad hate me, what happened with Miriam….did she really die?" Ethel asked her sister having a feeling that had been a lie to throw people of the fact she was a teenager mother.

Esmerelda had kept this secret for a long time and didn't want to lie anymore. Esmerelda shook her head slowly as if to tell Ethel she had not died.

"Then where is she? Why did she give me up? Why did she not want me…." Ethel said heartbroken as she felt like she was being rejected by a second mother, she had gained another mother and this one appeared to be just as cold as her old one.

"She did want you…..she had no choice in what she did" Esmerelda replied looking up still with tears streaming down her face but no longer sobbing so she was able to talk.

"How do you know? You were only two at the time you can't possibly remember that much" Ethel replied confused as to how Esmerelda would know that.

"I can't say any more...I am sorry Ethel" Esmerelda said visually shaking, clearly scared about something.

"Esmerelda...you are not making sense….how do you know so much?" Ethel asked her not understanding. She was frustrated and upset, nothing made sense and now even Esmie was being vague with her.

"I…..I c….can't.." Esmerelda said knowing she had to keep most of the secret hidden no matter how much it killed her.

"Okay fine don't tell me, I will go ask mum and dad about it" Ethel said not caring who she got answers from just needing answers.

"No you can't" Esmerelda said worried, she knew that would not end well at all.

"I need answers Esmie, I need to know the truth" Ethel told her sadly, not wanting to speak to their parents either.

"Miriam is still alive….they made the whole death up….and you know her" Esmerelda told Ethel who gave her an odd look not understanding what she meant.

"What on earth on you talking about? I think I would remember her" Ethel told her wondering how her sister could think she knew her when she didn't. Ethel was not an expert but she knew for a fact she had never seen the girl in the picture before, not in person or in photographs.

"No...you wouldn't because she has been in disguise" Esmerelda told Ethel trying to give her hints without having to tell her any more information. Ethel gasped at that. Disguise? She was hiding herself but why?

"Well who is she then?" Ethel asked wanting to know.

Esmerelda for the first time since she had started crying looked up at Ethel, she looked in her eyes deeply, trying to communicate without words. Ethel opened her mouth in shock as she understood from the look her sister was giving her what she meant. She didn't need their telepathy in that moment to understand, she knew exactly what Esmerelda meant by the heartbroken look she was giving her.

Somehow she was Miriam Hallow, her biological mother. It made no sense but Ethel knew it was the truth.


	7. Chapter 7 - Friends or Enemies?

A/N: This chapter is for the stargate time traveler as I know how much you love Mildred and how much you were looking forward to this conversation taking place. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Seven

 **Friends or Enemies?**

Ethel backed away from her sister horrified. This could not be real. She could not be Miriam, she could not be her mother.

"Ethie let me explain" Esmerelda said seeing how horrified Ethel looked and knowing she had to tell her everything.

"No….leave me alone" Ethel shouted before running off. Ethel ran fast down the stairs, not even sure where she was going just knowing she needed some time alone. She ran outside the castle and sat down underneath a tree putting her head in her hands and crying from confusion, hurt, and anger.

Ethel must have sat there just crying for a good half an hour until she felt someone near her. She looked up and saw Mildred Hubble of all people near her, kneeling next to her and looking concerned.

"What do you want?" Ethel asked her not caring Mildred could see her tear stained face.

"I just wanted to make sure you are okay" Mildred said looking concerned. She had been walking with Maud and Enid when she had seen Ethel in tears. Ethel didn't cry much so it did worry her so she had gone to check on the girl because no matter what the blonde thought of her she did not hate her.

When Mildred said she wanted to make sure Ethel was okay, something inside Ethel snapped, she was angry and she didn't know why but she wanted to lash out and Mildred was the closest target.

"Oh don't worry Hubble your wish has come true! Esmerelda and Sybil are not my sisters, I am adopted, I bet you are thrilled about it because your mother is so perfect in every way" Ethel said really angry at Mildred for trying to interfere. Mildred gasped but was not happy about it no matter what Ethel thought.

"What….but…..you have to be a Hallow, I saw your nan in the mists of time, you look practically identical to her" Mildred said confused and not understanding. How on earth could Ethel not be a Hallow by blood? She was a Hallow in and out it made no sense.

"Oh I am a Hallow but my parents are my grandparents, no wonder they never treated me the same as Esmie and Sybil" Ethel said angrily, Mildred just gawped at Ethel growing even more confused. Wait. She said they were her grandparents which meant her real parents were one of their children. As far as Mildred knew they only had Esmerelda and Sybil. Sybil it was just not possible, she was so young which left Esmerelda. It made no sense but it was the only logically conclusion.

"Wait...but there is only two years between you and Esmie...how on earth?" Mildred asked not sure why she cared so much but she had always felt a connection to Ethel and wanted to help her.

"I don't know. When I found out I ran off before she could explain, her real name is Miriam, she was supposed to of died in 2005 but she instead changed her name to Esmerelda, I suppose she used some type of magic to conceal her age" Ethel told Mildred with a shrug, not even sure why she was talking to Mildred about this but getting some type of comfort from it.

"So she is older than she says?….Yes she must be anywise it wouldn't work" Mildred said looking at the floor trying to make sense of this.

"I always wanted my mother to love me, to be her world, and for her to love me despite being the way I am, it is not going to happen now is it?" Ethel asked looking at the grass as tears fell out of he eyes again.

* * *

"What are you taking about? Esmerelda...erm...Miriam….whichever one….loves you to death!" Mildred told Ethel wondering how Ethel could still be so blind not to see her.

"No she doesn't….she got me adopted….she can't love me that much if she didn't want me" Ethel told Mildred sadly, her lip quivering as she spoke.

Mildred did not know why Esmerelda would give Ethel up. She was her universe, she loved her to death. Mildred just couldn't see it happening, unless she had had no choice. Maybe someone was threatening her or Ethel's life and it was the only option.

"I am sure she has her reasons, I am sure she would not have done it if she had a choice, there must be more to the story than you know, I am sure more than anything Esmerelda would not give up any child of hers, she just wouldn't and deep down you know that too" Mildred told Ethel as she knew Ethel was trying to pretend she didn't know her sister, well her mother, when she did know her and know she didn't have an uncaring bone in her body.

"I don't know how to deal with this, how can I start seeing my sister as my mother, she can't be both…." Ethel said clearly struggling to get her head around this new crazy bit of information but Mildred didn't understand why she was struggling so much when their relationship would not change.

"Ethel let me ask you a question, and I want you to think about this before answering it Ethel, who is the person who has loved you, looked after you, held you as you have cried, being on your side when they have known you are in the wrong and treated every achievement you have gained like you have won something huge, Ursula Hallow, the woman you have called mother all these years or, Esmerelda?" Mildred asked Ethel needing her to see it, that Esmerelda had been the one mothering her and Sybil this whole time, not Ursula Hallow.

Ethel listened to what Mildred said knowing this was important. She thought about it and knew what Mildred meant. Ursula had always made her so upset whenever she would miss something in school or not bat an eyelid when she achieved something. Esmerelda was the one who had held her and let her cry about their mother and loved her every minute of everyday, even when Ethel was being a brat, even when she tricked her into losing her powers, even when she pushed her away and treated her really badly Esmerelda never gave up on her and never stopped loving her even for a second.

"Esmerelda" Ethel said looking at her lap like it was suddenly the most interesting thing in the world.

"Exactly, she has always been your mother really, it isn't all about whose stomach you grew inside it is about who loves you and who will be there for you and that is not your…..grandmother" Mildred said feeling weird associating that word with Mrs Hallow. When Ethel did not say anything Mildred carried on speaking then.

"Remember selection day?" Mildred asked Ethel wanting to tell her something about that day and Ethel sneered at the brunette before replying.

"You mean the selection day when you nearly made me fail my entrance exam, yes Mildred it is engraved in my memory" Ethel told the girl growing annoyed as she was reminded of that. Mildred rolled her eyes and ignored Ethel before she kept talking.

"Well when they first started the tour I remember what I first thought when I saw you and Esmie" Mildred said with a smile.

"And what was that?" Ethel asked now she had to admit she was curious.

"Well I didn't even know how you and Esmie were related yet, I could tell you were as you looked so much alike but I didn't know if you were sisters or cousins or something because Esmie had not introduced herself yet, but even though I didn't know that I knew that Esmerelda adored you, she was so happy to be with you and kept smiling at you, I don't think you noticed as you were to busy glaring at me" Mildred told Ethel. "It was obvious how much she loved you, I knew you had a special connection in that first second" Mildred told her enemy who smiled at her slightly.

"She always did get overexcited when she saw me" Ethel said with a small smile and Mildred smiled back.

"Of course she did, she got to see one of her favourite people in the universe why wouldn't she? Mildred commented before she thought of something she had not considered. "Does Sybil know about this?" Mildred asked the blonde girl and Ethel shook her head.

"No, I ran right out here after Esmie…...my mother...told me the truth so I didn't get a chance to see her" Ethel replied and Mildred smiled knowing Ethel saying 'my mother' was a positive sign.

"Well don't tell her yet, talk to Esmie first" Mildred suggested knowing Ethel should get all the answers before going and telling Sybil that she was her auntie. That would take a lot of explaining.

"I suppose I will have to talk to Esmie won't I?" Ethel said trying to get into the habit of saying my mother bur forgetting.

"Yes, only she can give you the answers you are looking for, Esmerelda has given everything to you, she gave up her magic for you for goodness sake, I think she deserves a chance to explain herself" Mildred told Ethel knowing Ethel could choose to disown her mother if she wanted to but she also knew she would regret that for the rest of her life. Esmerelda had made a mistake hiding the truth from Ethel but she must have had reasons for that and Esmerelda deserved at least a chance to explain everything to Ethel.

* * *

"You are right" Ethel said before she stopped thinking how weird it was to think Mildred was right. Ethel stood up then and with a small smile started to make her way back into the castle to find her mother.

"Ethel" Mildred said and the blonde turned back around to look at the brunette who was calling her.

"Don't be sad, this might be a good thing, you might finally have a loving mother like you wanted, try to remember that" Mildred told her not wanting the girl to mess it up when she finally has a good mother she deserves. She didn't want her to push Esmie away again when this could be seen as a good thing.

Ethel nodded and smiled slightly again "Thank you Mildred" Ethel said before she kept walking making her way back into the castle hoping Esmie was still where she had last seen her. Mildred watched Ethel go smiling to herself, glad she was able to help Ethel and just hoping this meant Ethel could finally find the happiness she had been craving so long.


	8. Chapter 8 - Miriam's Story

A/N: I am not sure wheather to use Miriam or Esmie now it is has been revealed that was her real name. Can you tell me what you think when you review? Thanks.

* * *

Chapter Eight

 **Miriam's Story**

Ethel rushed back upstairs to where her room was looking for her sister, no her mother, hoping she had not gone off to far. She luckily found her sitting on the floor near Ethel's room with her head in her hands, clearly thinking Ethel hated her.

"Hey" Ethel said quietly. Esmerelda looked up and smiled slightly at Ethel, looking like the world was on her shoulders. Ethel sat down next to her before she started to speak.

"I am sorry for running off, I just needed some time to wrap my head around it…." Ethel told her and her mother nodded with a sigh.

"Yes well I didn't expect you to take it well" Esmerelda replied looking at Ethel.

"How….I don't understand how this can be true" Ethel told Esmie having so many questions going around in her head. Her mother knew it would take a long time to tell her everything but she would tell her as much as she could.

"I know it is hard to believe but it is because I am not fifteen I am twenty-six, I didn't want to pretend but I had no choice, I suppose I should start from the beginning" Esmie said.

"That will be good" Ethel replied knowing that was the only way she would understand.

"Things were different then, I was an only child as mum and dad had done what most people in our world do and only have one child so they would be the superior Hallow, I had always wanted a sibling but I never got that at the time. I didn't have many friends at Cackles, even though I was louder and enjoyed playing pranks, the other students didn't understand me, there was never a connection between us"

"But who wouldn't love you?" Ethel asked not understanding how people could not love Esmie when she was so gentle and kind. Esmie smiled slightly at that.

"I don't know, but that doesn't matter because in first year during the spelling bee I met ….your father" Esmerelda told Ethel smiling at the memory of that.

"Well maybe that is why I was attracted to Zac" Ethel replied and Esmie chuckled thinking her daughter was as bad as her in that aspect.

"Anyway I fell quickly for him, he attended Pentangles so I knew I would never get to see him but the feeling was mutual so he started to sneak to Cackles at weekends and we became friends, mum and dad never noticed so they were not paying attention to how close we were becoming as the years went on" Esmie told Ethel and Ethel understood how Miriam had hid a boyfriend, their parents never paid attention to anything.

"What was his name?" Ethel asked "Miss Bat says she remembers a boy but she couldn't remember his name" Ethel replied remembering Bat had struggled with that.

"Sauron Lightray" Esmie told Ethel and Ethel knew for a fact she had never heard that name before.

"He was really funny and sweet, and beautiful with that sandy hair and blue eyes, you have his eyes" Esmie told her daughter smiling and Ethel realised that was logically now as her eyes were blue and Esmie's were hazel.

"We dated and were very much in love, as you probably already know sex education at Cackles is rubbish, they barely tell you anything, let along about how to protect yourself, I was not an avid reader at that time so we didn't really know what could happen when we started sleeping together" Esmie told Ethel knowing neither of them had no idea until it was far to late how easy it was to become pregnant from it.

"Eww please don't, the thought" Ethel said disgusted at the thought of the whole thing.

"You said you wanted to know so I am telling you. Anyway, afterwards I became sick, throwing up all the time. As I knew the nurse would tell my everyone if I had some horrible disease and I didn't want mum and dad to find out so I started to research it myself and that was when I discovered about the pregnancy, I told Sauron and he was shocked but he still loved me thankfully, he told his family, they were not well known in this world so it wasn't going to be spread around the whole community, they were angry but his parents agreed to hide us and the child because I was determined I was not going to get rid of you, I didn't care if I was fourteen it was not happening" Ethel told Ethel with a smile putting her arm around her as she carried on the story.

"Of course the hard party was hiding the pregnancy, if anyone at Cackles found out my parents would be informed and there was no way I could have you, I found ways, old illusion spells that stopped the pregnancy showing, it was only an illusion though, I could see the bump but no-one else could unless I lowered the spell, the bump was the easy part, I was always pale and sickly, I told everyone it was just a bug and luckily not even the nurse looked to deeply into it" Esmie told Ethel rubbing her back.

"But mum and dad...well my grandparents found out?" Ethel asked because obviously they had found out at some point.

"Yes, but not until I had had you, luckily for me I went into labour during the summer holidays so I didn't have any explaining to do to my parents, for safety we went to a normal non magical hospital so we were not spotted" Esmie told her daughter with a smile.

"I hope the birth was not to tramatic for you" Ethel said. Despite what people said she didn't like her in pain, if Esmerelda as her sister had been confessing this same story she would have been upset to realise she was in pain as well.

"It hurt like hell" the other blonde replied remembering the pain and how she thought it was never going to end up ending "but then they gave you to me and every moment in my life suddenly made sense, the feeling I got in that moment I can't even explain, you were the most perfect thing I had ever laid eyes on and I knew then I had made the right decision" Esmie told her daughter cuddling her more. "I had not been able to have many scans, it was to risky, so I went into it blind, when I found out it was a girl, my heart soared" Esmie told her little daughter and Ethel tried not to cry as her mother spoke about this.

* * *

"After I had recovered, Sauron and I were supposed to run, his family were going to help hide us but my parents somehow found out about you, I don't know to this day how, I only assume they had someone spying on me, they barged in an hour after I had had you and they were furious" Esmie remembered. In fact she had never before, and never since, seen her parents as angry as they were when they saw Miriam cradling their granddaughter in her arms.

"They spoke about how shameful it was for the Hallow family, not only was I a teenage mother but you were born out of wedlock, it was the ultimate shame, our family name would have been destroyed, we would have been nothing" Esmie explained to Ethel but Ethel didn't need to much explanation for this part. She knew exactly how shameful it would be.

"They were trying to force me to get you adopted, into the non-magical world so that no-one could ever track you to us, I was already so much in love with you I just couldn't let them, they tried to tell me to not be silly, I could have another child when I was older but….I refused, I tried to convince them to let me keep you and eventually we came up with a solution, well they came up with it" Esmie explained stroking Ethel's hair.

"They said there was no-way they would let me raise you myself, so their solution was to adopt you and pretend you were their child and my sister, I didn't want it, I knew it would be harder than probably not seeing you than having to see you and pretending you were not mine but it was the only way, I was fourteen what could I have done? If I didn't agree I would lose you forever and that was to much to bear" Esmie said really sadly at this part and wiping her eyes as she remembered that feeling of losing Ethel as hers and signing them papers and letting the tears fall.

"That is when they faked my death, de-aged me with potions and spells, changed my name and pretended I was their second daughter, and changed my looks slightly to fool everyone" Esmie told Ethel as Ethel gasped thinking how low that was.

Ethel saw her tears and rubbed her back not liking her to be upset and feeling bad she was making her talk about this.

"When you were really little they hired nannies to look after you, most of them let me help to look after you, they didn't know the truth but they figured I just liked looking after my little sister so they didn't question it, as you got older though it got harder to do that without you becoming suspicious" Esmerelda explained to Ethel.

"Wait….Sybil….." Ethel commented as her brain started to put the puzzle pieces together.

"Yes. They had Sybil because many people did not believe you were mum and dad's child as it had been so sudden and mum had not appeared to have signs of pregnancy and there was so many years between us, to keep the game going they had Sybil to try prove to people they were just having more children then and you were also theirs" Esmerelda admitted sadly. Sybil would not even be here if she had not had Ethel, it was hard to think off.

"Our parents don't care how it makes us feel Ethel, as long as they can get away with what they have to they will do it" Esmerelda told her seeing the look on Ethel's face.

"And what about my father? Where is he?" Ethel asked not understanding what had happened to him .

"I don't know, he was holding you just after I had you and he was besotted but then he said he was going to go home to make sure everything was ready and just disappeared, I don't know if he chickened out or something happened to him but I never heard from him again" Esmerelda explained looking at the ground sadly.

"So you don't even know if he is alive?" Ethel asked her mother curiously.

"No idea, sorry darling" Esmie said and Ethel cuddled into her.

"Any more questions?" Esmie asked her hugging her back.

"Not right now" Ethel replied thinking she had told enough of the story for now. She was confused but was strangely happy.

"Well if you think of any, just ask okay?" Esmie said before hugging the younger blonde back.


	9. Chapter 9 - Telling Sybie

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Chapter Nine

 **Telling Sybie**

Both of them sat there for a good while not saying anything but wondering what they should do. Ethel was happy about the turn of events, she loved Esmerelda more than her own mother and now knew she had only gave her up so she didn't have to live without her. It made Ethel's heart hurt with happiness but she was sent out of her thoughts when Esmie spoke.

"I think it is about time we go and tell Sybil" Esmie said knowing how fast things got out in Cackles and wanting to tell Sybil herself before she found out from a third source as someone will find out, it was a given. Ethel nodded in agreement and stood up to follow Esmie, as they started to walk Ethel grabbed hold of her mother's hand and Esmie smiled down at her squeezing it before they walked, hoping it would mean they could start to work on their mother daughter relationship.

* * *

Finding Sybil and asking Clarice and Beatrice if they could talk to her for a while, the three of them went off to Ethel's room. Sybil shared hers with Clarice and Bea so it wasn't save and Esmie being liked and respected normally had people knocking at her door because people were fighting and they didn't know what to do. Ethel having a temper like thunder scared people off so they tried to avoid going to her room if the door was closed. Ethel sat on her bed and picked up Nightstar who walked to her for a cuddle.

"What is going on?" Sybil asked knowing Esmie and Ethel were up to something as they were both acting strangely.

"Sybil…..we need to tell you something, you remember how my family tree was messed up and I was fearing that I was adopted?" Ethel asked glancing at Esmie out of the comer of her eye as she spoke.

"Yes, but that is silly Ethel" Sybil told her not believing it even if Ethel did.

"It is true, I am adopted, but it doesn't mean we are not related, the only thing is we are not sisters, you are my aunt" Ethel told her being more blunt about the truth than she knew Esmerelda would.

"What? What are you talking about Ethel, stop messing around!" Sybil said upset and confused and thinking this was one of Ethel's silly tricks.

"It is true the truth Sybil….I am her mother" Esmerelda replied knowing she had to say something in order for Sybil to believe her.

"Esmie why are you joining in on this joke, it is not funny" Sybil said angry that Esmerelda was not stopping Ethel from taking this joke to far, how could it be real, Sybil refused to believe it.

"It is not a joke Sybil it is the truth" Esmie said as she went and sat down between Ethel and Sybil "I am sorry if it upsets you, but it is the truth Sybil, I will explain" Esmie said but Sybil, who was normally not one to ever raise her voice, looked at Esmie darkly and shouted in response.

"NO, WHY DID YOU LIE" Sybil said upset and thinking that Ethel had always known this and it was just her that had been in the dark about this.

"Sybil calm down, I am going to explain that to you" Esmie told her knowing Sybil must be really angry if she was shouting when she was the calmest one out of all three of them.

"NO I HATE YOU, YOU LIED TO ME" Sybil shouted back, her blue eyes full of tears.

"She had no choice Sybs, just listen for a second will you" Ethel told her sister annoyed at her yelling when Esmerelda was trying to explain everything to her.

"No, I don't want to know, you lied to me" Sybil said before she turned around and fled the room in tears. Esmie made to follow her but Ethel stopped her.

"Give her a bit for it to sink in, she won't listen to you anywise, she is as stubborn as the rest of us Hallows" Ethel told Esmie who nodded knowing she was right. Sybil needed time to come to terms with it and just had to have some time alone for a bit.

"She will be fine, don't worry" Ethel said sensing her mother was heartbroken by Sybil's reaction. In all honestly, Esmie had expected Ethel to be the one who reacted by shouting and raging but for once Ethel and Sybil had switched roles.,

Esmie smiled slightly again and put her arm around her daughter, stroking her hair but she was not holding her so tightly that Ethel could not pull away if she wanted too but Ethel moved into her more not knowing why she was already allowing her mother to be like this with her, maybe she had been waiting for it for so long she just wanted the affection when she finally got it, but she enjoyed the feeling of it and Esmie stroked her hair softly as they sat there waiting a while before they would go and find Sybil.

* * *

After around an hour, both of them thought it was time to go and find Sybil and were just about to get up when Sybil walked in. She had her head down and was clearly sad and hurting which broke Esmerelda's heart. Esmie smiled at Ethel and then let go of her before standing up and rushing to Sybil,

"Oh Sybil don't be upset, it is going to be alright" Esmerelda said really sad her sister was still so upset about this, she refrained from touching her though, knowing her anger might not have worn of yet.

"How can it be okay? Ethel is your daughter so you love her more than me and I have just lost one of my sisters" Sybil replied as she cried gently.

"Sybie, that is not true, I love Ethel in a different way from you that is all, and I know it is hard for you to deal with losing Ethel but, you are still family so nothing much will change in that aspect" Esmerelda explained to her knowing just how upset her little sister was.

"Why did you hide it though? Why did you tell Ethel and not me?" Sybil said looking at her older sister with her blue eyes full of hurt.

"I only found out today myself, and she told me because I forced it out of her, we haven't been hiding it from you Sybil, we would have told you" Ethel said logically feeling bad for Sybil in that moment.

"But I still don't understand, why did you pretend mum and dad are her parents? And there is only two years between you so how can it be possible?" Sybil asked having so many questions going through her brain in that moment.

"Please sit down Sybil, I will explain everything and won't leave anything out, I won't lie to you again" Esmerelda said and Sybil went to sit down next to Ethel, ready to listen to what Esmerelda had to say.

* * *

Esmerelda, for the second time that day, told the whole story. About meeting Sauron, about their carelessness and her ending up pregnant, about hiding the whole thing from everyone and their plans to run away together and then how she had had Ethel and Sauron disappeared of the face of the earth and lastly how her mum and dad had found out about Ethel and had given her two choices: letting them raise her and pretend she is her sister or get her adopted out of the family. She had picked the first option and her identity had been changed. Sybil started crying in that moment.

"Sybil are you okay?" Ethel asked worried about her as she was not taking this well.

"Esmie has suffered for so many years and we didn't know" Sybil said. Not angry anymore just heartbroken her sister had been forced to make that decision and had had to watch her daughter grow when she was never allowed to mother her properly..

"It is okay Sybie, I still got to see Ethel grow up and look after her in the background" Esmerelda replied as she smiled at Ethel.

"As you got older why did you not run?" Sybil asked not understanding. Esmerelda sighed.

"Because mum and dad still are in control of me, they have threatened to hurt Ethel and you and I couldn't let that happen, at least with the way things are you are safe" Esmerelda replied.

Everyone fell silent then as no-one knew what to say, they knew Esmerelda was right. It would do more harm than good to try to escape.

"Why did you decide to go through with the pregnancy when you knew it would be much harder?" Sybil asked as she knew her sister loved both her and Ethel, but she put herself through so much suffering when she didn't need too and Sybil didn't understand.

"I was terrified when I found out I was pregnant, but I loved Ethel from the first moment, I couldn't get rid of her, I am glad I didn't even though it has been harder, it was worth it" Esmerelda told Sybil who nodded in understanding, thinking her sister was brave.

"I think we should tell everyone" Ethel said. She knew if people knew they could help. True, they might be angry but it would stop the blackmail from Mr and Mrs Hallow as it would no longer be a secret.

"We can't! You two can't say anything" Esmerelda said honestly terrified of people finding out, worried about what would happen to her and that because she had lied and tricked people Ethel would be taken away from her, she had worked so hard and long to keep Ethel with her, she just couldn't lose her now.

"Ethel is right Esmie, if we don't tell anyone we will be stuck in this cycle forever" Sybil said knowing if they didn't do anything, they will be trapped by Triton and Ursula Hallow forever, even when they were old enough to get away from them.

"I don't think it is a good idea" Esmie replied wanting to avoid that at all costs. She knew it would not be as simple as Ethel and Sybil thought it would be.

"Come on mother, don't you want to be free and not have to hide anymore?" Ethel said without really thinking about what she was saying. She was starting to think of her as her mother now and it was coming naturally to her to call her that now. She knew deep down she had always known really.

Tears fell down Esmerelda's face at the word mother and her heart soared and felt like it was going to fall burst of her chest and in that moment she knew they were right. It was time to take action and take control of her life. It was time to tell the whole world the truth.


	10. Chapter 10 - Truth Is Out

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Chapter Ten

 **Truth Is Out**

Even though they had all decided they were going to reveal the truth to the whole magical world, it was deciding when and how to do it which was the issue but an opportunity came at the assembly on Friday. In front of the whole school was properly the best way to do it. It would come out to the whole world before long anyway.

The three blondes asked Miss Cackle if they could say something. Students and teachers looked around as this was highly unusual. Students never usually asked if they could say something but Ada agreed, curious about what they had to say.

Esmie and the other two went to stand on the stage neither of them even knowing what to say, how do you even begin to explain something like this?. Esmie sighed and took a breathe before she started to speak.

"I…..have something I need to tell you, my name is not Esmerelda Hallow...it is Miriam Hallow" Esmerelda said just starting of simple. A lot of people looked around confused having never even heard the name before.

"What? Miriam Hallow died years ago!" Ada replied remembering that happening. She had not heard that name in years.

"No she didn't, my parents pretended that she had died and then changed my identity to Esmerelda because they they were hiding the fact that I had….an child when I was in my teens" Esmerelda replied looking at Miss Cackle, glad she remembered Miriam and she did not have to explain who she was at least.

"What? That is crazy, someone would have noticed!" HB butt in not knowing how anyone could hide the fact they have a child so easily.

"Remember that mysterious illness I was plagued by? I wasn't ill I was pregnant I just hid it well, I had the baby in the summer, so no-one was none the wiser, my boyfriend and I were planning on escaping after the baby was born but my parents found out" Esmerelda explained as everyone around the hall looked at her with their mouths open in shock.

"The father would not happen to be that wretched boy who was always hanging around the school would it?" Ada asked remembering Sauron and how he had drove everyone absolutely mad.

"Yes Sauron, I haven't seen him since the birth he just disappeared, I don't know what happened to him" Esmerelda said looking down sadly. Most people fell silent at this moment trying to make sense of what this meant. Hecate though was wondering about something else.

"What happened to your child?" Hecate asked curious as to what had happened to the baby as she doubted the Hallow family would have let her keep a baby that was born out of wedlock when she was only a teenager.

Esmerelda knew this was the bit that was going to shock the core of everyone who was listening, but she had already started with the truth, she could not lie now and she wanted everyone to know she had a daughter and they all knew her.

* * *

"The baby was a girl, when my parents found out about her they were furious, they wanted me to get her adopted but I fought them on that, there was no way though they could just let me keep the baby, the shame it would bring on the family we would never live it down so a solution was come to, the child would be adopted, but into our family as my sister, the baby is stood in this hall right now" Esmie said before wrapping her arm around Ethel. "Ethel and Sybil have only just found out themselves but I am actually Ethel's real mother, my parents forced me to lie about it" Esmerelda said.

At this revelation, people actually gasped. How on earth could it be true they didn't understand. Esmie and Ethel were so different, they didn't even look as alike as Ethel and Sybil did so it made no sense.

"I didn't want to hide it, but it was the only way to keep Ethel, the plan was that no-one would ever have to know only Ethel found out about it" Esmerelda told the hall. She had barely gotten her last word out when someone shouted.

"CHEAT, all this time she has been pretending she is so clever when she is only smarter than us all because she is older than us, that is not fair!" the girl said angry at the opportunities Esmie was given.

"Yeah!" someone else shouted in agreement. Others started to shout too and Esmie just stood there as she had been prepared for the backlash.

"Hey she didn't have a choice, leave her alone" Sybil said cuddling up to Esmie on the other side than Ethel was on.

"She could have said something if she really wanted too" another girl said, glaring at Esmerelda darkly.

"No she couldn't she was being threatened, so shut your mouth" Ethel replied feeling so defensive of her mother in that moment.

"But it is still not fair, she had to do no work because she knew everything" a forth year said annoyed.

"Actually, I never finished school the first time because I 'died' and even when I was in school I was not the best pupil, in fact I was a rebel" Esmerelda said. "Isn't that right Miss Hardbroom, Miss Cackle?" Esmie asked looking at the woman.

"I don't believe you are Miriam, Miriam was….a troublemaker" Miss Hardbroom replied thinking she was mistaken. Esmie was much to well behaved to be Miriam Hallow.

"Oh yes, remember that time I enchanted you so that whenever you said my name you would end up singing and dancing?" Esmerelda asked remembering that. It was one of her favourite tricks. Hecate was still haunted by the memories of that and glared at her darkly.

"You really are Miriam Hallow" Hecate told her as she came to that realisation.

"Yes and don't you forget it" Esmie replied smirking. "I had to change my personality or you would all cotton on to who I was, I am relived that I don't have to put up that charade anymore" Esmie said honestly as she had hated studying and pretty much doing nothing else all these years, she wanted to have fun like she used to in her last lifetime.

"That is all well and good dear but why are you telling us all this now?" Cackle asked as she adjusted her glasses.

"We need your help. My parents have threatened myself and Ethel and Sybil since as long as I can remember, I don't know what they will do but whatever it is will not be good, I need to get my daughter and sister out of there but I can't do it by myself, I am not able to fight both my parents off whilst also protecting the girls" Esmerelda explained and Miss Bat, who had been quiet all this time but was so curious by Miriam being alive and wanted to help, spoke.

* * *

"You seek the Great Wizard's help?" Miss Bat asked and Ethel was the one who nodded first.

"Yes, the Great Wizard is the law, he is the only one who can provide us some sort of protection from Triton and Ursula" Ethel said not wanting to call them mum and dad anymore. They were not her parents anyway.

"I am prepared to pay the price for my lying and deceit, but I need to know we are protected" Esmie said as she put an arm around her daughter and the other around her sister, dead serious now as she needed to make sure they were safe.

Ada knew she had to go to the wizard about this. Now everyone in the school knew the girls really were not safe anymore. She watched Esmerelda hugging Ethel and Sybil and saw she was trying to hide her worry from them, all she wanted was to protect them.

"I think it is best if we go to my office to finish discussing this" Ada said fearing for the girls safety.

Esmie nodded and walked forward with the two other blonde girls, thinking Ada was right, hopefully she would contact the wizard sooner rather than later.

"Thank you Miss Cackle" Esmerelda said as she got closer to the older woman. She was scared not just of her parents but of how she would be punished for her role in what happened but she was staying strong for the younger two.

"Of course, I am happy to help, now that we know action can be taken" Ada told the older girl able to sense her fear even if she was doing a brilliant job of hiding it.

"I appreciate it, thank you" Esmie replied with a smile, feeling like things were going to be okay.

"You are most welcome, come on let's get this sorted out" Ada told the girls before she transferred them all away to her office.

"The show is over, back to your lessons" Hecate said to the crowd as everyone spoke loudly amongst themselves, everyone in shock.


	11. Chapter 11 - Moving

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Chapter Eleven

 **Moving**

Sitting in Ada's office the Great Wizard was contacted via mirror call and was soon at the school, being told the whole story. He looked at Esmerelda and glared at her darkly.

"This is an outrage!" he shouted looking at Esmerelda who looked at the ground ashamed of herself.

"I am sorry your greatness, I didn't know any other way I would be allowed to keep my daughter" Esmie told him, trying to explain her reasoning's were not bad.

"Your greatness, it it not Esmie's fault, it is her parents, they were blackmailing her" Ethel replied not caring if she was speaking to the Great Wizard and it was rude to answer him back, he couldn't let Esmie be punished for this when she had been a victim too.

"Blackmailing her?" the Great Wizard asked looking at the three blonde girls curiously.

"Yes, they threatened to hurt Ethel, or send her away if I told anyone that she was my daughter, they were punishing me by treating Ethel so cruelly and punishing Ethel for existing as she had ruined their perfect family dynamic. As I got older and became an adult I tried to think of ways to run but they always seemed to know what I was planning, so they forced me into starting at Cackles, knowing the game would be up if their eleven year old did not attend the school our family had always come to" Esmie said with a sigh.

"Please don't split us up" Sybil said knowing if Esmerelda was arrested for her crimes they could be taken. Esmie hugged the girls tightly, holding them close, just in case.

"I won't separate you, I don't think that will help matters" The Great Wizard replied not seeing how making the girls go live separate from each other would help the situation.

"Thank you!" Esmie said relieved, loosing her grip on her sister and daughter slightly now she knew they were not going to be dragged away from her.

"I am afraid your parents are facing much harder punishment though" the man told Esmerelda knowing they had broken so many rules of the code he could not just let it go.

"I know, I am sorry about what they did" Esmie told him.

"For now I think it is best to move you all, until I am able to talk to your parents, people could be after you, you are not safe at Cackles" the Great Wizard said seriously knowing it was probably already getting around the whole magical world that Miriam Hallow was alive and well and she is Ethel Hallow's mother and she had had her as a teenager. Mr and Mrs Hallow would probably be sending people soon to spy on the girls and their safety was at risk, for a few weeks at least Cackles was the least safe place the girls could be.

"But where can we send them your Greatness? It is going to be hard to hide all three of them as most places will be searched" Ada replied worried about the girls being found where they were being hidden.

"I will have to try and find a place they will not expect the girls to be" the Great Wizard replied and Hecate suddenly spoke up.

"Pippa, Miss Pentangle, she is an old friend of mine, how about if the girls stay at Pentangles for a while?" Hecate asked knowing her old friend would agree, especially as she owes her a favour after she tried to take Miss Cackle's job last year.

"I am not sure, it will probably be too obvious" Ethel said fearfully but Ada smiled at the suggestion.

"No...Pentangles is perfect, who would think you are hiding at another school, especially one the Hallows have never had connection too, no-one would think a school was hiding you" Ada said knowing it was a great hiding place as no-one would suspect the Hallow sisters of being at Pentangles of all places.

"Alright, well it is as good as place as any for now, we don't have time to waste, let's go now" the Great Wizard said wanting to get them out of Cackles as quickly as possible.

"Wait" Esmie said as he stood up to get ready to transfer them. "My daughter's father, Sauron Lightray, disappeared after her birth, do you think you can find out what happened to him?" Esmerelda asked knowing the Great Wizard would have ways of tracking people down the way no-one else did. Even if her old teenage sweetheart was dead she wanted to know. She had to know what had happened to him.

"I will work on looking for him but it might take a while, come on we need to get you out of here" the Great Wizard said knowing every second that went by was dangerous.

"But our stuff, our cats!" Sybil said not wanting to leave Sparkle at Cackles.

"No time, we will send them over later" Hecate said as the girls were transferred away and landed in a well polished hallway. The girls blinked and looked around as they came fact to face with Pentangles Academy for the first time in person.

* * *

The main entrance of Pentangles was much different than Cackles. The floor was tiled and so shiny you could use it as a mirror, it was the type of flooring that squeaked when you walked on it. The walls were purple and magnificent light fixtures hanged from the ceiling. The girls would have being amazed if they were not Hallows, but alas, they had grown up in a mansion so it wasn't really impressive to them.

At the sound of them appearing, Pippa rushed forward looking at the girls and the wizard confused, wondering why three girls who were not her pupils and the Great Wizard were in her school, the Great Wizard began talking before she could ask.

"We need to talk, in your office now" he told Pippa as they all walked into her office, which was much grander than Ada's one. Everyone took a seat as the great wizard explained the situation to the confused blonde headteacher.

"They need to be hidden for a while" he told Pippa he told her the whole story. The girls held each other as they let them speak, only hoping Pippa would agree or they would be in deep trouble. Pippa agreed and the girls were being rushed out the office before they could take in her response.

* * *

They were taken to a corridor. It was not as fancy as the rest of the school and appeared to be unused. The room they were taken to was older and the purple paint was faded. Esmerelda wondered why they didn't use this room anymore but she was not sure she wanted to know the answer to that question.

"We usually use this area for storage" Pippa told the girls as if she sensed what Esmerelda was thinking to herself. "It is a small room but it will do for now" Pippa told the girls as they walked into the bedroom. It had one bed but Pippa did a few spells and made two more appear.

"Thank you so much for this" Esmie told Pippa, grateful she was helping them like this when she in all honestly didn't have to.

"I am happy to help, I am sorry I cannot provide you with more but you are going to have to stay in this room, if the students see you it could ruin everything" Pippa told the girls who nodded in agreement, not really caring they had to hide in one room as long as they could be together.

"We will of course bring you food and anything else you need" Pippa told the girls as they looked around the room they would be staying in for the next few weeks.

"What is going to happen to our parents?" Sybil asked looking between the blonde woman and the wizard.

"We will have to see what will be best after I have spoken to them, for now we are just relived you are safe" the wizard told the girls.

"I promise you won't even know we are here" Esmerelda told Pippa with a smile hugging the two other blondes. Everyone smiled at each other until the Great Wizard spoke.

"Well I better get off to talk to your parents, if there is any problems you know where I am" he said looking at Pippa.

"Thank you again your greatness" Ethel said cuddling into her mother happily. Happy they were all together.

"You are welcome, everything is going to be okay now, you will see" the man said before transferring away.

"I better go too, I will be back later with some food" Pippa told the girls with a smile.

"Thank you" Esmie said again as she was left alone with her daughter and sister for the first time in their new room. As they were left alone in their first place they could call their own place together.


	12. Chapter 12-New Beginnings And Punishment

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* * *

Chapter Twelve

 **New Beginnings And Punishment**

Esmie and the two girls soon got used to staying in the room. It was actually nice to not have people crowding over them. Cackles had send over some work for the girls so they would not fall behind and Esmie was helping Sybil with homework as Ethel lay on one of the beds reading a book.

Ethel had become closer to her mother now though. She knew Sybil struggled with schoolwork so she let her mum help her without distracting her but it did not mean Ethel was not spending time with her mother as well because she was.

"Right write down your conclusion now, they give you extra marks for putting one in" Esmerelda told Sybil, trying to help her to improve her grades. She was not bothered about them but Sybil wanted to get higher grades. Sybil wrote slowly and neatly the conclusion to her essay as Esmie left her to do that and went to see Ethel.

"You alright Ethie?" Esmie asked sitting by her. She didn't want her to feel neglected so she checked on her daughter now and then. Ethel sighed as she did not like to be disturbed as she read her book.

"Yes, I am just reading" Ethel told her mother, keeping her eyes on the page of her book. Esmie smiled and left her to it, giving her some time to read alone. She knew she got annoyed when she had to stop reading.

* * *

Entertaining themselves was difficult. They had a bunch of books but nothing else they could really do and Sybil did not even like reading. They therefore spent most of the times talking and Ethel and Sybil asked Esmerelda question after question about her past life as Miriam.

"So then Hardbroom walked into my bedroom, her face bright blue, as I had used to much potion in her drink, I burst into laughter and received detention but hey it was funny" Esmie told them both after Sybil had asked her about other pranks she had pulled. Ethel and Sybil laughed as well, not able to believe how different she had been at that time.

"Cackle said Sauron used to drive everyone insane, how did he do that?" Ethel asked wanting to know more about her father and Esmie smiled at that question, thinking of the young boy she had been so in love with.

"He was the master at disappearing" Esmie replied with a chuckle.

"What do you mean?" Sybil asked looking at her sister for clarification.

"Well Sauron was not supposed to be at Cackles and if one of the teachers saw him they were supposed to take him out of the premises, but they were never able to catch him because he would escape. Either he ran off or he flew off. He was a nightmare and I think he made the teachers glad that they didn't have boy students. Most of the staff stopped bothering after a while knowing he was just going to sneak back" Esmerelda explained remembering the times Miss Lap, the old PE Teacher, would be chasing after him but he would take of flying and she would give up.

"How did you get around the Great Wizard?" Ethel asked wondering how the boy had not been scolded for always turning up there when the wizard was fairly strict.

"Well when the teachers would complain, Sauron would go back to Pentangles before he arrived, I think he started thinking the teachers were seeing things" Esmie told them both before she smiled sadly.

"He was a great person though, funny and sweet and kind, I missed him when he vanished" Esmerelda said sadly and Ethel rubbed her mother's arm wishing she understood but Ethel had never being in love. She had had a crush on Zac but it was not the same, she was not head over heels in love with him, she had never had a child with him. She smiled at her gently not wanting her to be sad.

"Don't be upset, I don't think he is dead, I think we will find him" Ethel said. She didn't know why but she just had a feeling he was alive somewhere and she didn't believe he abandoned them either.

"Maybe" Esmie said before looking at Ethel. "But I still have you and Sybie, if we don't find him that will be okay, you two are my universe" Esmerelda told them as she hugged them both. The girls hugged her back tightly. Pippa arrived in that moment with food and the girls thanked her as they started to eat.

* * *

The Great Wizard was not having quite as easy as time with things. He had sent for Mr and Mrs Hallow to be sent to him. These two had never been easy to talk to and today was no exception. The man stood up, a scroll of paper in his hand with a list on it, he started to read it to the blonde parents.

"Child endangerment, blackmail, threatening a minor, forging legal documents" the man read out all the rules and clauses the couple had broken with what they had done. The list was long and most of the rules broken were serious ones.

"Your Greatness, we were trying to protect our family. Esmerelda...well Miriam was a child, she wasn't capable of looking after a baby by herself even if she told herself she was" Ursula told the man trying to explain why they had done what they had done. Even if she was lying. They had done it because of the shame.

"Blackmailing your child is not protecting them, you two were only thinking of your family reputation" he replied, able to see through the woman's lies.

"Well we had to do something, we couldn't just let everything be ruined because of one mistake" Triton Hallow replied annoyed.

"Even so you treated your granddaughter badly and never made her feel like she belonged, I assume you were trying to punish your eldest for her mistake" the Great Wizard told them not liking these two and liking them less by the second.

"We gave that girl a home, we fed her, clothed her and let her be a part of our family, we gave her everything, she is just an impossible child" Ursula then said, happy she she could finally say what she thought of Ethel. The woman did not understood Ethel and did not understand why Esmerelda was so attached to her. She is her daughter yes but she is so unlikeable. The wizard shook his head before he kept talking.

"And do you happen to know anything about the father of your granddaughter?" the Great Wizard asked having a feeling these two had been involved with his disappearance. If he was around it would ruin their perfect plan, and he had only gone missing when they had found out about the baby.

"No, we have never even met him" Triton told the older man and the Great Wizard looked at him not sure what to believe from him. These two were professional liars after all.

"You have lied to everyone and made your daughter do the same, I can't believe you pretended she had died" he told them thinking they were sick in the head to do that. He was not going to say he was the kindest person on the planet, he was strict but there was a line not to cross.

"We did what we thought was best" Triton told the man before his eyes darkened and he started talking.

"Where are the girls?" he asked as he knew by now they were being hidden as they could not be found at Cackles.

"The girls are safe, they have been removed for their own protection" The Great Wizard replied as he assumed they knew that already. If they thought he was going to tell them their location they were mistaken.

"We want to see them" Ursula told him trying to get out of him where they were.

"After the threats you have made to them you won't be seeing them, with there amount of laws you have broken you will be lucky if you ever see daylight again" he told them knowing in this case he could not just let it slide.

"Wait...you are going to arrest us?" Mr Hallow asked for once since he had arrived looking worried.

"For now, until I can decide how you should pay for you crimes" he told the couple who turned pale at his revelation.

* * *

Ethel and Sybil were sound asleep in their beds but Esmerelda was still awake just thinking. She could not believe that everyone knew the truth now and that they were in hiding. Things had changed so much in just a few days and it was mind blowing to her.

She glanced on the bed on the other side of her and saw Ethel sleeping on it souldy. She was growing so fast but Esmerelda did not regret her decision. She still got to watch her grow because she had allowed her parents to adopt her.

She knew things could have been much worse if she had not agreed to it. She smiled slightly as she looked at Ethel a while longer. She then turned her head to look at Sybil. Her darling baby sister. She had not been sure how to feel when her mother first told her about the pregnancy, after all her sibling would be fourteen years younger than her, but as soon as she was born she loved Sybil. She was such a darling, and as they grew up, and their parents didn't bother with them, she felt like Sybil was also hers.

Esmie felt her eyes growing heavy as she became tired and she fell asleep for the first time in years her mind light and not full of worry as she knew her and her girls would be safe now. They were free finally.


	13. Chapter 13 - Updates

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* * *

Chapter Thirteen

 **Updates**

Despite the fact the girls were enjoying spending their time together, remaining hidden was difficult. It was true no-one actually went down the corridor but after a week of being stuck in one room the girls were bored and Ethel and Sybil were fighting, mainly because they had nothing else to do. All the girls could hope was that they would be able to leave soon as they had heard nothing since they were brought here.

At the end of the week the Great Wizard finally appeared and the girls were relieved thinking they finally were allowed to come out of hiding. He greeted the girls before telling them to sit as he had news for them, in fact he had a lot of news.

"Your parents have been arrested" he started off by saying looking at the girls.

Despite the fact there was not really any love between the girls and their parents and they knew the punishment was justified, they all felt a small sadness at the wizard's words. They felt sorry for them even though they shouldn't.

"I did not know what else to do, they broke hundreds of rules in what they did" the man told the girls seeing their solemn expressions.

"You are right of course your Greatness" Esmerelda told the man smiling slightly. "Will they remain there?" she then asked wondering how long they would be inside for.

"I don't know yet, we are going to hold a trial, I am not sure what sentence they should receive" he told the girls explaining.

"Thank you for helping us your Greatness" Ethel told him, grateful he had helped them to hide and get away from their parents.

The man nodded gratefully before he carried on, still having more news to express to the girls.

"I have something else to tell you, about Sauron" the Great Wizard told them. That is why he had taken a week to go and see them, he had been sorting that out.

"Did you find out what happened to him?" Sybil asked him, having a feeling they were about to find out exactly what had happened to Sauron.

"Yes, I looked over the death records from that time and could find nothing, of course if there had been some cover up it just could mean it was never recorded" the Great Wizard told the girls logically.

"So….he is dead?" Esmie asked feeling her chest hurt at that realisation.

"I don't know, we haven't traced him down yet and your parents are not talking, even if I am convinced they know something, but he could be, that is a possibly you have to prepare for" the Great Wizard told them, knowing it would be horrible to pretend he was alive somewhere when he might not be.

"I am going to carry on looking but it will take a while longer, I think until I know more you should stay hidden, I don't know what happened to Sauron and the people that are responsible for this could be looking for you" he explained to the girls.

Esmie sighed thinking how awful it was going to be to be trapped in this room for the unforeseeable future but Ethel and Sybil's safety was her priority so she nodded.

"Thank you, your Greatness" Esmie told him. After he had gone she sat down with a sigh. Everything had gone wrong and she had a feeling they would never find Sauron. Ethel sat next to her and hugged her.

"I am sure they will find what happened" Ethel told her mother even if she was not sure of her own words.

* * *

Another week went by and then another and there was still no news. The younger girls were still bickering and Esmie was stressed trying to think of ways to keep them entertained. The girls were miserable and Esmerelda wondered if they could ever all live together, they were already fighting, but she supposed it was because the girls could not go outside, she only hoped that was the case.

"WILL YOU TWO STOP IT" Esmerelda shouted at them as they fought again "I HATE BEING STUCK HERE TOO" She told them stressed out at them. She didn't know how much longer she could deal with being stuck here. Sybil hugged her.

"Sorry Esmie, we will stop, are you okay?" Sybil asked her sister worried about her mental health.

"I am okay Sybie" she said hugging her back and taking Ethel in her other arm. "I love you both, I am sorry for shouting" she told them kissing their heads.

Finally after a month the girls were fighting less, Esmie was grateful for that but they spent their days bored out of their minds. The Great Wizard appeared one day which only meant one thing. He brought news.

* * *

"Have you found about more about my father?" Ethel asked the man trying to read his expression, even if he was a hard person to read.

The man nodded and sat down exhausted. "I am sorry it took so long to get back here but a lot has happened, I am happy to report Sauron is alive" he told the girls smiling at them.

"What? How?" Esmie asked not daring to believe it.

"I will admit I was looking for a dead person but we released an updated photo to the public, both magical and non-magical, of what he might look like, we didn't think it would draw anyone's attention but a man came forward, he said he looked like his neighbour, we didn't hold out much hope but we investigated and took a DNA sample and it is Sauron" he explained happy he could bring some good news to the girls.

"But why did he leave? What happened to him?" Sybil asked not understanding. Had he really just walked out on Esmerelda and Ethel? If so she was not sure it was wise to have tracked him down.

"I finally got the truth out of your parents when I interrogated them, it was all planned" the man told them, wondering if they wanted to know the details.

"Tell us what happened" Esmie replied wanting to know what had happened to her old beloved.

"One of Sauron's friends betrayed him, that is how your parents found out about the baby, he told them, I couldn't find out why the friend did this but all I know he is changed his mind and told your parents, he also told your parents who Sauron was. After he left the hospital he was ambushed by some men, who your parents had paid to get rid of him" he told the girls sadly because he knew that would break them, but it would come out in the trial and they might need to give evidence, so it was better they heard it now.

"Wait….my parents...actually planned to have Sauron….killed?" Esmie asked her heart broken at that. She knew her parents were sick but that was just to much for her to get her head around.

"I am sorry to have to tell you but yes, luckily the kidnappers took Sauron to another part of the country but chickened out of killing him, so instead they erased his memory and left him in that new area" The Great Wizard explained to the girls.

"So...he has not come to find us because he can't remember anything?" Ethel asked wanting to make sure she had got it right.

"Exactly, when I went to see him he didn't know who you were, oh and he also has been living in the non-magical world, he has no powers left, it was another part of the plan to stop him from finding you" The Great Wizard replied with a sigh.

Esmerelda knew exactly how it felt to have no powers, luckily Sauron could not remember the magical world so he had not suffered how Esmie had. All this time she had honestly just thought he had abandoned them, she was heartbroken he couldn't remember them.

"Now we know where he is you can meet him if you so wish, it might help him get his memories back" The Great Wizard told the girls. Esmie gulped for some strange reason terrified of the idea now it was here.

"I will think about it" she told the man "Thank you so much for everything" she told him knowing it was all down to him that everything had turned out okay.

"You are welcome, as for your punishment, let's forget about it, you were blackmailed, it would not be fair to punish you" the Wizard told her, not seeing how that would help matters.

"Does this mean we can leave?" Sybil asked wanting to go back to school.

"Yes, I think the danger has gone down, you can now return to Cackles" the wizard told them and the girls smiled. They were going back to school and could stop hiding. They hugged each other happily.


	14. Chapter 14 - Worry

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Chapter Fourteen

 **Worry**

When they returned to school a lot of the students were still not happy with the fact Esmerelda had lied to them all and was giving her a hard time about it, to top of it now it was discovered Esmerelda was in fact an adult she couldn't be a student anymore. It would not be fair on the other pupils as she had the advantage of being older than them, she was worried she would have to leave the school and spend a lot of her free time looking for ways to convince Miss Cackle to let her stay, maybe she could work in the kitchens or something? There had to be some way she could remain at the school now she actually had nowhere to go to and not a penny to her name.

She was also thinking about Sauron. It had been years, he was probably a completely different person than he was back in his teenage days, and to top it off he couldn't remember anything. It would be cruel to go and see him and tell him he had a child he knew nothing about but Ethel deserved a father, she was not sure what to do for the best.

Esmerelda was sitting on her bed stroking her familiar as she read a book, trying to find a way to argue her case when Ethel walked into the bedroom.

One great thing was that Ethel was not pushing her away anymore, she was much more accepting of her affection now and seemed to already like the fact Esmerelda was her biological mother. Esmie smiled at her daughter happily as she closed her bedroom door and Ethel perched herself on the end of her bed.

"I have a free lesson" Ethel said quickly before her mother had a chance to scold her for skiving.

"Great, now I won't be lonely" Esmie said happy to see her blonde daughter. She knew Sybil had flying right now so she would not see her for a while.

"Are you still trying to figure out a way to stay here?" Ethel asked her mother knowingly. Esmie however was confused. She has not told Ethel and Sybil about that as she had not wanted to worry them.

"Telepathic remember?" Ethel said with a smile, having known what was going on as she read her mind.

"Yes well, I am trying to think of ways I can stay when I am not a student, strictly speaking I should have already left but Cackle said I can stay until I find somewhere to go now I am homeless" Esmerelda told Ethel.

Their parents still owned everything until their sentencing so right now Esmie had nowhere to go, it was true she could probably go to their grandparents for a while but she needed somewhere she could take Ethel and Sybil too. Sybil not being her daughter meant she actually still had to obtain custody and now Sauron was alive she would even have to win custody of Ethel as he also has rights. It was all one big mess.

Ethel crawled on the bed and draped herself next to her mother happily as she tried to think of ways to help her mother when someone knocked on the door. Ethel jumped up and opened it but found no-one there just a note stuck to the door, Ethel opened it her anger already raising.

* * *

"What is it Ethie?" Esmerelda asked seeing the look on her daughter's face.

"Nothing" Ethel said as she did not want her mother to become upset when she saw it.

"Give it here please" Esmerelda said and Ethel sighed and handed it to her. It was a small piece of paper which had the words "LEAVE HALLOW, NO-ONE WANTS YOU HERE" written on it and Esmerelda sighed. She kept getting hate notes these days. She screwed it up and threw it in her bin across the way.

"I AM GOING TO TELL THEM" Ethel said upset someone had written that about her mother as if she had had a choice in what happened.

"Leave it Ethie please, I don't want you fighting, it is just some kids that have nothing better to do" Esmie told her daughter, grateful she was upset about the note but knowing it was not worth getting expelled over. Ethel jumped back on the bed and hugged Esmie sadly.

"Why are people still giving you a hard time? I mean when I tricked you into giving your powers to Agatha, no-one really mentioned it when we returned to school, and that was much worst" Ethel said to her mother. Esmie wrapped her arms around her daughter and smiled.

"They just want someone to blame, they don't understand" Esmie told Ethel stroking her blonde locks gently.

"But it wasn't your fault" Ethel said playing with the necklace around her mother's neck, she had finally realised what it was and she had shown her, she could not believe she had worn it all them years.

"True, but my parents are not here for them to attack" Esmie told Ethel logically.

"You are the bravest person I have ever met mum, I don't know how you deal with all these things" Ethel admitted to her mother, knowing she would not cope with this stuff nearly as well as her mother did. Esmie leaned her chin on Ethel's head and spoke.

"I have no choice, plus I still have my Ethie and Sybie so I will be okay, try not to worry about it Ethel, it is not worth upsetting yourself over" Esmie told her daughter who sighed before she spoke.

"You worry, like with my father, you are worried about that" Ethel replied and Esmerelda chuckled.

"I am your mother, I am supposed to worry" Esmerelda replied wanting Ethel to leave the worrying to her.

"Are you going to meet him?" Ethel asked, closing her eyes, enjoying her mother's embrace.

"I don't know yet Ethel, I haven't seen him in years, it won't be fair to just barge in on his life" Esmerelda told Ethel sadly.

"But he deserves to know so he can make a decision about meeting me or not" Ethel then replied thinking which ethuer way was unfair but he should have the choice to be involved or not.

"It is not that simple Ethel, he probably already has a family, it will affect their lives too not just his, imagine finding out your husband or boyfriend has a secret child with some other woman, it will break his family" Esmerelda replied as she had been thinking about this a lot.

"I suppose" Ethel sighed, not knowing how to help her mother. "But we don't know what his life is like, he might not even have another family" Ethel replied but she did wonder than if she had any half brothers or sisters somewhere. She was not sure she would actually like that.

"It is more than likely he does, I don't want to ruin any relationship he might have" Esmerelda explained to Ethel her reasoning.

"Well...he can see me and still be with whoever he is with, it shouldn't ruin anything" Ethel told her mother who shook her head still unsure.

"Let us not focus on that now Ethie, we have more important things to worry about, like where we are going to live" Esmerelda told Ethel knowing they had to not focus on Sauron until they were settled, then they could focus on him.

* * *

"Well I am sure you can find a job" Ethel said thinking of a solution "Cackle and HB can let you stay until you save enough money together" Ethel said with a smile as she thought more about it.

"I need money fast Ethel, we can't be homeless forever and high paid jobs you need qualifications for" Esmerelda explained the problem to Ethel. Getting a job was all very well but she didn't have years to save for somewhere to live.

"Miss Cackle won't kick you out if we don't have anywhere" Ethel told her mother.

"Yes but I only have until summer to sort something out" Esmerelda told Ethel stroking her hair more.

Ethel nodded realising the problem, she didn't know what they could do, she didn't want to lose Esmie.

"I don't want anything to happen to you" Ethel said growing upset and holding her tighter.

"I will always look after you, I promise, don't worry I am not going to leave you, at least not permanently" Esmerelda told Ethel sensing her worry and hugging her tightly.

"I am glad you are my real mother" Ethel told her, feeling much more connected to her than she ever did to her grandmother.

"And I am glad you are my daughter" Esmerelda told her kissing her head and glad she could finally hold Ethel without having to lie to her.

"It is going to be okay Ethel, I promise" she told her keeping her close to her.


	15. Chapter 15 - Sauron

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Chapter Fifteen

 **Sauron**

Esmerelda was stood outside a cafe nervously. She had finally agreed to meet Sauron, for Ethel's sake as if her father wanted to know her then he deserved to have the chance. Esmerelda also thought it was only fair he knows he has a child in the world, he had the right to know that. It was not his fault he had vanished.

She took a deep breathe before walking in but did not see him at any table, she was early though so she sat down at a table in a corner to wait.

She did not know why she was so nervous but she was. Maybe it was to do with the fact that she had not seen him since the day Ethel was born and she had no idea if he would be the same type of person. It was not just that though. Esmerelda had contacted him saying she needed to talk to him about the past, he had been curious but agreed to go and meet her which is how she ended up sitting at the table waiting for him. She had left Ethel at Cackles as she wanted to talk to him first, she didn't want Ethel to be rejected.

They were supposed to meet at twelve but the woman watched the clock tick to five past and then ten past, she rolled her eyes. He still hadn't seemed to sort out his time keeping skills, he had always being late for absolutely everything, she had always told him to come to Cackles half an hour earlier than she wanted to see him because she knew then he might be on time for the time she actually wanted to meet him.

* * *

She was sitting and waiting bored when she heard the door open and looked up. A man was stood there, sandy blonde hair falling in his eyes looking like it could use a good cut and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. He glanced up and saw Esmie knowing it was her from the black cloak she was wearing. He walked over and sat down nervously.

"Hi..." he said not knowing what else to say as he had not called this meeting and he had no idea what this woman wanted to talk to him about.

"Hi...sorry to call you like this, I hope I didn't put you out to much" Esmerelda said not knowing how else to get to the point.

"It is alright, I wasn't busy…..is there a reason you wanted to talk?" he asked her wondering why she had called him here.

"I need to talk to you about your past, you don't remember much do you?" Esmerelda said remembering the Great Wizard saying he has suffered memory loss. Memory loss spells could be really strong and last for many years or even a lifetime.

"Not really, I don't remember anything from my childhood up until I was fourteen, I suffered a head injury in my teens and I developed amnesia" he told Esmerelda who sighed knowing this was going to be difficult. "Have we met before?" he asked Esmerelda looking at her and not having any memories spring to mind.

"Yes" Esmerelda started "We dated as teenagers, do you remember a girl called Miriam?" Esmie asked knowing he won't know her by her new alias as he had never met her as Esmerelda.

He looked at her as if he was thinking deeply, trying to rack his brain for any memories of a time when he knew a girl with said name, he thought for a few minutes before he shook his head.

"No sorry, it doesn't ring a bell" he told Esmie disappointing her as she was going to have to tell him everything.

"The name does mean something though I don't know what, my ex-wife's daughter is called Miriam, I named her" he told Esmerelda confusing her. What did he mean his ex-wife's daughter and he named her? How could he name his ex-wife's daughter?

"I named her and then found out she had cheated on me, the child is not mine, shame really I was looking forward to having a child, she would be about three now, I haven't seen any of them since she was a few weeks old though" Sauron told Esmie seeing the look of confusion on her face. Esmie was upset he had had a wife for some reason, but more upset she had cheated. She hated people who cheated.

"When she was born that name came to me from a distant memory, can't remember from who or where though" Sauron went on explaining not even knowing why he was telling someone he had just met all this.

"I am sorry your wife cheated, but it makes things easier now I know I won't ruin things for your family, I know you don't really remember much about me apart from my name but I need to tell you, you have a child" Esmie said feeling better about telling him now he said he had wished he had a child.

"I am sorry what?" he asked her trying to think how he could have a child with someone he didn't know. Esmie sighed before talking.

"You and me dated when we were in school, we were careless and I got pregnant and I had a little girl, my parents found out and forced me to let them adopt her and they erased your memory, I know it is crazy and hard to believe but it is true" Esmerelda told him only hoping he didn't walk out. He just stared at her and Esmie took some photos out of her cloak pocket.

"This is you and me when we were dating" Esmie said showing him the first picture of Sauron much younger and herself, with the same shade of blonde hair as Ethel and them both looking very much in love.

"And this is our child when she was born, though she is a lot bigger now" Esmie chuckled taking one of Ethel's first newborn pictures out to show him, she even had one of Sauron holding her to prove she was not some crazy person making this up. He looked at the photos in silence and just stared at them, after he had looked for a while and said nothing Esmerelda thought this had been a mistake so she picked up the photos and started to stand to leave, apoligising as she did so.

"I am sorry, it is not fair to put this all on you now" Esmeralda said but her getting ready to leave seemed to bring Sauron back to the ablity of speech.

"Is she really mine?" he asked her as if he did not trust her. Normally, Esmerelda would have been insulted but one woman had already tricked him with the paternity of a baby, it was no surprise he didn't trust this random woman he had not seen for a while. She sat back down and nodded.

"Yes, we can get a paternity test done for your peace of mind if you wish" Esmie told him even if she knew one had already being done, but one thing at a time, she didn't want to give him a heart attack by telling him magic existed as well.

"She would be around twelve or so now wouldn't she?" Sauron said asking a question.

"Thirteen, only by a few months" Esmie told him prepared to answer questions she knew he would have.

"So why now? Why did you come to find me now?" Suaro asked not trusting her, he was not sure what was going on.

* * *

"I told you my parents forced me to let them adopt the baby, she was raised as my sister, she has only just found out herself I am her mother, I was trapped and I didn't know where you were, I couldn't tell you because it wasn't safe, I didn't do it to be spiteful" Esmie told him with a sigh, wondering what he thought of her in that moment.

"What is her name? The child?" Sauron asked interested.

"Ethel, her name is Ethel" Esmie told him.

"What is she like?" Sauron asked and Esmie was taken of guard then wondering how to describe Ethel.

"She is beautiful and funny, and smart and as stubborn as a post" she said laughing at that bit "But in all honesty she is brilliant" Esmie told him knowing she couldn't describe everything, she was someone you had to meet.

"I don't know if you are playing games with me but….if this is true...I would like to get to know her" Sauron said and Esmie beamed at that in relief and happiness, he had not seemed to of changed much, he was still sweet and caring.

"Great, I think we should do it slowly though, Ethie is not very trusting of people" Esmie told him in honestly he nodded before standing up.

"Why don't we talk about this over coffee, you like loads of milk and two sugars..." he said before looking confused…."I don't know how I know that" he said as it just seemed to come to him.

"Maybe it is a vague memory from your past, you are correct, thank you" Esmie said as he went to order at the counter. Esmie was not sure this was the right move but he seemed keen on Ethel the way he had when she was born, maybe, just maybe,it could work.


	16. Chapter 16 - First School

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Chapter Sixteen

 **First Call**

It was a Saturday and Esmie, Ethel, and Sybil were stood in the mirror room nervously waiting for the clock to turn to one. Esmie didn't think it was wise for the girls and Sauron to meet in person just yet so they were going to talk through mirror call. Sauron had being fascinated by the concept as he didn't know it existed.

"Almost as if it is magic" he had said and Esmie had laughed awkwardly at that and told him mirror calls were a new invention, there was wires in the mirrors and it allowed them to call someone, Sauron didn't give away whether he brought it or not but he had been interested.

That is why the girls were anxious. Esmerelda didn't blame them but it was only going to be a short talk. The clock turned to 1pm all to soon and Esmie held up the card with Sauron's name on it. She had told him to sit in front of a mirror at that time and wait. Suddenly the mirror changed from a reflective glass and instead it was almost as if Sauron was in the mirror itself as he appeared.

"Oh this is cool" he said looking around, not even noticing the people he was mirroring with as he was busy trying to look at how they were connected.

"Sauron" Esmie said he suddenly looked forward and fell quiet.

"Oh hi Miriam, …..so which one of these girls is Ethel?" he said looking at Ethel and Sybil and trying to determine which was his daughter as they looked similar and were so close in age.

"Sauron this is Ethel" Esmie said placing her hands on the blonde's shoulder. "And my little sister Sybil, I hope you don't mind but she wanted to meet you too" Esmie said as she had not told Sauron that was the plan. It was for the best though. Sybil would be as much as part of his life as Ethel if this worked out, he should get to know both.

"No of course I don't mind...hi" Sauron said nervously not knowing what else to say to Ethel and Sybil.

"Hi..." Sybil said back but Ethel said nothing, suddenly she was so nervous and she had no idea why. Maybe it was because her adoptive father had always made her feel like she was in the way and she didn't know what to say to this new person in her life because of it.

"How is school?" Sauron asked trying to make conversation as Esmie had told him they attended boarding school. Sybil gulped and answered whilst looking at her hands.

"It is okay..." Sybil said knowing she couldn't go into to much detail about school. When Ethel said nothing Esmie spoke to her.

"Are you okay Ethel? Not like you to be so quiet" Esmie said knowing this was awkward right now but worried about Ethel's lack of speech, she was not one for being shy.

"I don't want to say the wrong thing" Ethel whispered scared of saying something wrong and her biological dad hating her like everyone else did. Esmie sighed and rubbed her back.

"You won't say the wrong thing" Esmie said feeling bad and angry at her father for knocking Ethel down like this. Sauron looked between the girls worried.

"Is this a bad time?" he asked not wanting to make anyone feel uncomfortable.

"No, Ethel is just nervous don't worry" Esmie told him not wanting to scare him off already when it had taken so long to find him.

"That is okay, I get nervous too" Sauron said trying to make Ethel feel better by her knowing it is not just her.

"I normally say the wrong thing and then people don't like me" Ethel said looking at the ground sadly, trying to keep her mouth closed because she was afraid of coming out with something insulting.

"I am sure that is not true" Sauron said thinking there was no way everyone hated her.

"It is true" Ethel said looking at the floor and everyone looked awkwardly at the floor no-one else knowing how to respond to Ethel.

* * *

"So Sauron...why don't you tell Ethel and Sybil about your job?" Esmie said trying to start a conversation. Sauron nodded seeming glad to be able to speak about something.

"I am an estate agent, I sell people houses" Sharon said trying to sound enthusiastic about it

"Oh great can you get us a house?" Ethel asked suddenly happy to hear that.

"Ethel!" Esmerelda said looking at her.

"What? We need a house and he sells them" Ethel replied looking at her mother and rolling her eyes. Sauron chuckled.

"Good point Ethel, I am sure I can find something somewhere" Sauron said but Esmie sighed as she had no money to buy a house even if he found them one.

"Esmie is looking for a house for us, our parents house is still in their possession unless they go to jail for a long time" Sybil said and Emie touched her forehead. Sauron must think they are crazy now Sybil said that.

"Oh yes I heard about your parents I am sorry to hear that" Sauron said feeling sorry for the young girl for having both her parents locked up.

"It is okay, I have Esmie" Sybil said cuddling into her sister happily and Sauron smiled as he realised they were close.

"What about your parents?" Ethel asked wondering what had happened to her paternal grandparents on her father's side Sauron was kidnapped.

"My parents live about half an hour away from me" he told Ethel which only confused her and Sybil. Esmie promised to explain that part to them later in her head.

"Do you have any siblings?" Sybil then asked and Sauron shook his head.

"No I am an only child, my parents will be pleased to realise they have a grandchild as they were worried the family name would end because there is no other children to have the next generation of children" Sauron explained glad the girls were talking a bit more.

"Do you still love Esmie?" Sybil asked bluntly the way only a child could so casually.

"Sybie!" Esmie scolded embarrassed she had just asked that. Sauron coughed awkwardly and then smiled even more forced.

"I don't remember her sorry" Sauron said not saying yes but not saying no.

"Don't worry Sauron" Esmie told him as she glared at Sybil.

"It is a shame that because she still loves you" Ethel told her father with a smile. Esmie covered her face trying to hide her shame.

Sauron looked even more awkward at that as he didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings so Esmie stepped in quickly.

"Sorry about them, they like to make things awkward, don't worry Sauron, it is fine" Esmie said trying to steer the conversation in a different direction. He smiled awkwardly at the girls. Esmie looked at the clock and had never loved time so much in her life.

"Right you two, you better go as your lessons are about to start" Esmie said as she saw the time. Ethel and Sybil jumped up and waved goodbye before leaving the room, once they were gone Esmie sat down.

* * *

"I am so sorry about that" Esmie said embarrassed but Sauron smiled slightly.

"It is alright, that is just children isn't it?, don't worry honestly" he told Esmerelda.

"They haven't drove you away?" Esmie asked surprised.

"Will take a little more than that to make me leave, my mum has being trying to set me up with people for years, I am used to it" he told Esmie who smiled.

"So you will call again?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, they are funny" Sauron told Esmie and she nodded and ended the call after saying goodbye glad it had gone better than she had hoped but she knew this could all end when he finds out they are witches and tried to get it to the back of her mind as she walked out of the room.


	17. Chapter 17 - Magic Exists

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Chapter Seventeen

 **Magic Exists**

After two more mirror calls everyone agreed it was time to meet each other in person. After asking permission to take the girls out of school the next Saturday, Esmie, Ethel, and Sybil were sitting in a local park waiting for Sauron. Esmie had already told her sisters he will more than likely be late so they sat on a bench talking until they saw him approaching. He smiled at them before handing Esmie some flowers and both the young girls some bars of chocolate.

"YUM" Sybil said taking a bite of hers straight away.

"This is great, school food is awful so this tastes great" Ethel told her father chewing happily.

"You two, don't eat to much or you will be sick" Esmie said worried and smiled as Sauron offered her the flowers. No-one had ever given Esmie flowers and she hid a blush.

"Thank you" Esmie said embarrased.

"So how are you all?" Sauron asked watching the younger two pig out on the chocolate.

"Good, are you going to give us chocolate every time we see you?" Sybil asked and Sauron chuckled.

"I might do we shall have to see" Sauron told Sybil and Ethel smiled at him.

"Why don't we all go for a walk?" Esmie suggested as the girls got up still munching on their bars of chocolate and Esmie carried her flowers.

"It is getting warmer finally" Ethel said happily as she was fed up of the dull British weather now.

"That it is, there is nothing like nice weather, feels like summer is starting" Sauron told his daughter nodding in agreement.

"I love summer, though we still have to wear uniforms in school" Sybil replied with a sigh.

"Oh well lucky the school is always cold then isn't it?" Esmie commented smiling at her daughter and sister.

"Did you two see each other when you were kids during the summer?" Ethel asked and Sauron looked at her confused as he couldn't remember but Esmie nodded.

"Yes, we went to parks a lot actually, or the lake, none of us had any siblings so we only really saw each other as we were bored anywise" Esmie explained because she remembered even if Sauron didn't.

"How did you stop mum and dad noticing?" Sybil asked confused.

"Sybie mum and dad spent all their time working even them, I just told the maids I was going to meet a friend from school and they didn't think twice about it" Esmie explained remembering how easy it had actually being at the time. When she said she was going to visit a friend from school, and as she attended an all girls school, no-one in their right mind suspected it was a boy and Sauron's parents were much less strict so let him go to see Miriam without to many questions.

"It sounds fun, I am sorry I can't remember it" Sauron replied with a sigh, annoyed at his amnesia now and wishing he could remember more. Esmie sighed to not knowing what to say. Sybil saw the awkward pause and spoke up with a question.

"Do you like cats?" Sybil asked knowing it was important that she did because they had Einstein, Nightstar and Sparkle and they would all be living with them of course when they got their own home.

"Oh yes, I love cats! I always wanted a cat but I could never have one when I was younger as my father was allergic, I always wanted one as I got older" Sauron replied to the question with a smile as he thought of the creatures.

"So why didn't you get one?" Ethel asked wondering why he had never got one if he wanted one.

"I just don't have the time right now, I am out working most of the day and don't normally get back until late, I do plan to get one at some point, I wonder what colour I should get" Sauron said trailing off in thought as he said the last bit.

"Black! All our cats our black!" Sybil told him with a smile.

"You all have a black cat?" Sauron said before laughing "Anyone would think you are witches" he said laughing. Esmie looked at the younger two who looked at her and tried to avoid eye contact with Sauron. Sauron saw the strange reaction and looked at them all as he stopped laughing.

"What did I say?" Sauron said looking worried and confused. Esmerelda knew this was going to come out sooner or later, she looked around for any nosy non-magical people in the park before turning back to him.

"We are witches" she said casually not wanting to beat around the bush.

"What? Witches don't exist!" Sauron said thinking this was a joke they had all planned to pull on him.

"Yes they do, look" Esmie said uttering a quick spell and making a bin turn yellow. Sauron gasped and staggered back at the trick.

"What on earth!?" he asked and Esmie sighed as she led him back to the bench they had been on before, prepared to explain everything.

* * *

"I don't know how to feel..." Sauron said after Esmie had finished explaining about witchcraft, the boarding school the girls attended being magical, how they could do all the stuff non-magical people knew about like spells and potions and that he himself used to be able to do magic.

"I know it is a lot to take in" Esmie told him, trying to remember how Mildred had found everything so hard to believe at first.

"I really used to be able to do magic too?" he asked finding that bit the most unbelievable.

"Yes, but my grandparents were not happy about my birth so they paid some people to erase your memory and take your powers" Ethel told him.

"This is true isn't it? You are not messing with me are you?" Sauron asked finding the story way to unbelievable to be true, but to unbelievable to not be true.

"It is all true, you just don't remember" Sybil told him with a smile.

"But my amnesia is caused by an accident I had when I was fourteen, I was told I was involved in a car collision" Sauron said highly confused.

"You were probably told that as they were not allowed to tell you the truth, you had a very powerful memory charm cast on you in the hope you would never find us" Esmerelda explained trying to get him to believe them.

"It did always seem a little weird, my parents can't drive so I always wondered whose car I was in" Sauron said starting to believe them more. "I wish I could remember having powers" Sauron said thinking it would be cool to remember that.

"Trust me it is better you have forgotten, I lost mine for a brief spell and remembering what my life had been like before with powers was pure torture." Esmie told him and he looked at the woman confused,

"How did you lose yours….and how did you get them back? I wasn't even aware witches could lose their magic" Sauron said confused. Esmie glanced at Ethel then looked back at Sauron knowing that was a story for another day.

"It is a really long story, it will take me hours to explain, but yes it is possible to lose magic" Esmie told him not going into too much detail. Sauron gasped then as a realisation came to him.

"That mirror calling, that is magic isn't it?" he asked. He had always been confused by how that worked as he could never see wiring but he had not thought to much into it until Esmie had told him about the magic.

"Yes, obviously I couldn't tell you before how it worked but yes it is that...you have to be careful when talking in the non magical world" Esmie told him and Sauron smiled.

"The non-magical world...I always thought it was the only world" he said thinking it was strange to hear it called that.

"Well it isn't there is a magical world too" Ethel told him happily.

"I wish I could see more of it" Sauron said. Now he was over his shock he thought it was cool.

"You can! We can show you it" Sybil said excitedly and Sauron shrugged and started to follow them excitedly.


	18. Chapter 18 - Back To Cackles

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Chapter Eighteen

 **Back To Cackles**

They all went back to Cackles, sneaking in because they didn't think HB or Cackle would take to kindly to inviting Sauron in, as they arrived at the school and as they sneaked in Sauron fell quiet.

"Are you alright?" Esmie asked knowing he was probably just overwhelmed.

"Yes, something just seems familiar about this place" Sauron replied even if his mind was still a blur.

"Well you did use to sneak in all the time to see Esmie" Sybil explained as they walked into Ethel's room.

"True, maybe this place will help me remember" Sauron told them as he sat down looking around his daughter's room. Nightstar walked up to him and sniffed him, looking at him with suspicious eyes.

"It is okay Nightstar, he is safe" Ethel told her cat knowing her cat was just like her and suspicious of everyone. Sauron looked at the cat gently and then touched her on the head, stroking her gently.

"Hello cutie" Sauron said rubbing the cat's head. Nightstar decided in that moment she liked this stranger and purred, pushing her head into his hand.

"How odd, normally Nightstar hates strangers" Esmerelda commented knowing her cat was just as stubborn as her mistress when it came to people.

Ethel smiled as she watched her father stroke her cat before someone knocked on the bedroom door making everyone in the room jump.

"Oh no, we have to hide you" Ethel said pushing her father into the wardrobe and closing the door before opening her bedroom door.

"Oh hi Felicity" Ethel said smiling at her dark haired friend.

"Hi Ethel, did I hear a male voice?" Felicity asked looking confused.

"Yes" Esmerelda told Felicity trying to think of an excuse on the spot. "We were mirroring Ethel's father" Esmerelda lied, hoping it was a good excuse.

"Mirroring in your room?" Felicity asked confused.

"I lent them the mirror in my room" Sybil explained as she had a magic mirror and could mirror talk on it and Felicity nodded seeming to accept it.

"Anyway, do you have the homework assignment for HB? My cat ripped mine, she loves paper" Felicity explained and Ethel nodded going to her desk and getting the paper with the assignment on.

"Yes, here we go, now sorry Felicity we have to go, we are a little busy, bye!" Ethel said closing the door on her before locking it with a quick spell and letting Sauron out the wardrobe.

"Aww I was hoping you could hide me with magic" Sauron said stepping out of the wardrobe with a sigh of relief now he wasn't squished.

"There is plenty of time to show you magic but we have to be more careful, HB will kill us if she finds you here!" Esmie told him with a sigh.

"Hardbroom?" he said looking at the blonde girls.

"How do you know that?" Sybil asked as she was sure none of them had said her full name.

"Lucky guess?" Sauron said as even he was not sure how he knew that.

"Well however you know, yes, she is strict and men strictly speaking are not supposed to be here" Ethel told her father.

"Yes and I don't think she will like seeing you again, she still has nightmares of you when you were a teen" Esmie told him with a smile.

"Some people are just unforgettable" Sauron replied and everyone laughed in agreement.

* * *

"Watch this" Sybil told Sauron as she showed him her levitating a book and he watched fascinated.

"This is like something out of a fantasy novel only it is real, magic is amazing" Sauron told the three of them smiling.

"Yes it is amazing isn't it?" Ethel asked as she watched Sybil and smiled. She had gotten much better at her spell casting.

"So how about wizards? Do they use the same spells?" Sauron asked interested in how he had once performed magic.

"Yes but they usually use staffs" Esmerelda explained as that was the thing that usually made witches and wizards different. Just as they spoke the bell rang and all three of them pulled a disgusted face.

"What is wrong?" Sauron asked them confused.

"It is lunchtime" Sybil told him looking grossed out.

"Well that is great isn't it, I love food!" Sauron told the girls not understanding what was so bad about lunch.

"It would be great if they served something edible" Esmie replied her stomach turning at the thought oo Cackles food.

"Oh come on I am sure it is not that bad" Sauron replied rolling his eyes.

"Well if you like eating cement I suppose it isn't" Sybil told him as it really was that bad.

"Eww gross!" Sauron replied.

"Yes, Cackles food is disgusting, it is always cold or slimey or lumpy" Ethel told him shuddering at the very thought.

"Well my tuna sandwiches suddenly sound like a three course meal" Sauron said thinking how disgusting that sounded.

"Anything sounds like a three course meal after what we eat, anyway we better go, if we don't show up to lunch HB will come find us, we won't be long, don't leave this room" Ethel told him as her and the other girls left.

* * *

About half an hour later the girls returned and Sauron smiled, Sybil handed him a bowl.

"We saved you some" she told him and Sauron took the bowl, saw it was actually as disgusting as they had made out and put it down suddenly feeling nauseous.

"I will pass" he told them with a smile.

"Good choice" Esmie told him before Sybil spoke.

"Any problems? Did anyone knock?" Sybil asked him hoping he had not had to hide from anyone.

"No, I don't think anyone suspects anything" Sauron told them thinking they were safe.

Just then all four of the people in their room jumped out of their skins as there was a popping noise and Miss Hardbroom appeared in the room.

"Ahh, I knew something was going on when I saw you with some extra food, no-one in this school ever comes back for seconds" she said to the group as she looked at Sauron and glared.

"Sauron, it has been a long time" she said to him, glad he was older and he could not longer flu away like he had once been able too.

Esmerelda, Ethel, and Sybil gasped and stared opened mouth at HB, knowing they were about to be in trouble.


	19. Chapter 19 - Close Call

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Chapter Nineteen

 **Close Call**

Hecate Hardbroom led the Hallows and Sauron to Miss Cackle's office and Esmerelda gulped unable to hide her worry. It was not just the fact they had sneaked in Sauron which was the problem but it was also the fact they had told him the truth about magic which broke nearly every rule of the code, telling non-magical people about the magical world was a serious offence.

"I am astonished" Ada said once she had finished hearing everything. "You know revealing the magical world to non-magical folk is illegal and against the rules" Ada said unable to believe they had actually gone that far.

"Miss Cackle, Sauron is a wizard he just has no powers left, like I didn't last year, I know he doesn't remember but he is a part of our world, plus if he is going to be around more we can't exactly hide it from him forever" Esmerelda replied trying to explaining her reasoning behind telling Sauron about their magic.

Ada sighed. She knew the girl meant well but she barely knew the man anymore, he could go and reveal it to the whole non-magical world once he had left. Ada didn't know whether to trust him or not.

"Miss Cackle yes?" Sauron said as he looked at the bespectacled woman with a small smile "Please don't punish Miriam, she is just trying to help me with my amnesia, I am not going to blab to anyone about this" Sauron replied and Ada looked at him taking a moment to realise he was talking about Esmerelda as she was still not used to the name Miriam.

"Miriam?" Miss Hardbroom asked raising her eyebrows as no-one else called her that.

"I still can't get used to the name Esmie, I remember her as Miriam, even if there is very little that I remember" Sauron told the woman with a shrug.

"We have worked very hard to make sure the girls are safe from harm" Ada told him "We had to hide them for weeks as we were not sure what their parents were going to do to them" Ada told him annoyed as she had not done all this for this man to trick them. Ada liked Esmerelda, she always had but Esmerelda had a huge flaw in the fact she was really gullible and she always trusted people to much.

"I am not going to harm them" Sauron said holding his hands up in defence "I am not the type of person to hurt anyone and I appreciate that you helped them as anywise I would not have found them, but I want to try get to know them better, I never had the choice in that before" Sauron told the staff.

"But you can't remember anything" Hecate replied not understanding what the boy meant.

"I don't have to remember, I can start again, I can start from the beginning with them" Sauron replied and Ada saw he looked genuine and she had to admit to herself, the boy was a terror in his teenage days but he wasn't a bad kid, he was a prankster but he had never done anything to hurt his girlfriend and he knew if a prank was going to far and made sure they were harmless. Wiped memories and no magic could not change if a person was bad or good unless they let it and Ada was starting to believe that he would not pose a threat to anyone.

"Well that is all well and good but you can't stay here Sauron, it was all a bit of an annoyance in your teenage days but I am afraid now you are an adult it is illegal, there are things you need in order to live in a school with teenage girls" Ada told him not believing he would ever harm a girl but she could be closed down if she let him stay without it being legal.

"Of course I understand, it is the same in the non-magical world, I promise that I will see the girls away from here if that will help" Sauron told them not wanting to get anyone into trouble.

"You know Sauron I was wrong, I didn't think you had changed" HB told him with her arms folded looking at him.

"Oh so I suppose I have then?" Sauron asked and the woman nodded.

"Yes, you have matured, the old you would never stay away even if we begged you" Hecate told him and he smiled slightly and awkwardly.

"Very well, what you, Esmerelda, Ethel and Sybil choose to do in your free time is up to you, but keep it away from the school please, you may go, we won't discuss this any further" Ada told them as there really was no harm done and they all nodded.

"Thank you so much" Esmerelda told the women knowing she could have seriously being thrown in prison or the Great Wizard could have being told.

"Next time I won't let it slide Miss Hallow, I am not telling the Great Wizard or punishing you as you have convinced me that telling Sauron about our world was done for logical purposes and he poses no threat, I am trusting you on your word" Ada told her and Esmie smiled nodding again.

"You can trust me, thank you so much Miss Cackle" Esmie said again as she walked out the door with the others as HB spoke.

"Please leave the premises" she told them as the four of them headed to the door of the castle. They all spoke quietly and walked slowly as they did so.

* * *

"That was close, I thought we were for it" Ethel commented with a sigh of relief.

"Me too" Sybil replied surprised they got out of it so easily

"Yes well Sauron always was a smooth talker" Esmerelda replied with a chuckle as he might of drove people insane when he was younger but he rarely got into trouble as he spoke his way out of it.

"I am serious though, I would like to get to know you all better, even if I can't see you in school" he told them wondering how they felt about that.

"Great, I think we are getting on well" Esmie told him with a smile.

"I am happy with that if I get chocolate" Sybil told him and the man chuckled and Ethel smiled too.

"It sounds fun" Ethel said liking the idea of having two loving parents which she never had before, at least Sauron was not pushing her aside as she was bugging him.

"Great, I think talking through the mirror is easiest for all of us" Sauron told them as he knew they didn't have internet or phones.

"Yes me too, we have mirror days on Thursdays and as we don't talk to our parents anymore we can talk then" Esmerelda told him glad this was going well.

"What am I meant to call you?" Ethel asked curiously as she wasn't sure if she was meant to call him dad yet. She had just met him so she wasn't sure she was ready for that.

Sauron understood her question as he might be her father but she didn't really know him. She called Esmie mum already but she had known her since birth so it was different.

"Just Sauron for now?" he asked as he looked at her and Sybil who had stopped to look curiously at him as she wondered that too.

"Yes okay" Ethel said and Sybil nodded in agreement thinking that was easy enough. It was not to personal and it was not to formal, maybe one day if things went well Ethel would call him dad but for now she just wasn't ready for that.

"Sounds good" Sybil told him as she walked happily with her family.

"Great, well I best go before we get in anymore trouble, I will speak to you all soon" he told them as he smiled at them and waved.

"Yes we will definitely talk on Thursday, be careful going home, the castle is rocky and hilly" Esmerelda said worried as she was not sure how used to walking he was.

"Thanks for the warning but I am sure I will be fine" he told her smiling before he headed out the gate and out of sight.

"That went better than expected" Esmie told the girls smiling "Come on let's go inside before we get into anymore trouble" Esmerelda told them as she put am arm around each of them and headed out of the door.


	20. Chapter 20 - Luna

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Chapter Twenty

 **Luna**

Esmerelda and the girls kept on talking to Sauron each week and although Esmerelda was happy that things were going so well she still had the worry at the back of her mind that she still had no way to provide for Ethel and Sybil. She had been looking into jobs but never even got an interview.

Esmerelda was thinking about this as she left her bedroom one day to head down to the library to grab a book to read as her girls were in lessons. She arrived at the mostly empty library, the only people in there were older students who were studying for tests they had coming up. Esmie was looking though the books and one caught her eye. She reached up to grab it just as she heard a strange noise coming from a corner she thought was empty.

She walked to the corner in question and saw a young girl, probably only around a second year, crying. No-one could hear her because she was sitting far away from the others. Esmie felt her mother mode kick in and she walked to the girl and kneeled down to look at her.

"Hello" she said to her. The girl jumped and gasped, clearly shocked someone had found her. She looked at Esmie with tear filled eyes before speaking in a shaky voice.

"You are the person who has a daughter aren't you?" the girl asked clearly having of heard the rumours that had been going around. Esmie smiled and nodded.

"Yes, my name is Esmerelda, what is yours?" Esmie asked having never seen this girl before, which was odd considering she looked to be in the same year as Sybil.

"Luna" the girl said as she cried looking at the floor as she let out a sob.

"Luna, that is a nice name, now why are you crying on the floor by yourself?" Esmerelda asked worried about her. She didn't like it when anyone cried, especially younger students.

"I am fine" Luna replied and Esmie rolled her eyes as it would seem she had another stubborn individual to deal with.

"Of course you are not fine or you would not be crying, come on Luna, I can't help you if you don't tell me" Esmie replied wanting to help the youngster.

"I just want to go home!" Luna said before she cried more into her hands and that statement worried Esmie more.

"Oh why has something happened?" Esmerelda asked wondering if the girl was a victim of bullying or she could not deal with the teachers being so harsh on her. The little girl shook her head.

"I just miss my parents" Luna said and Esmerelda understood then. The girl was clearly homesick. Esmerelda remembered she had been homesick because she missed Ethel and Sybil so much in the early days so she did understand how she feels.

"I suspect they miss you too, but you can talk to them through the mirror" Esmie told the girl trying to reassure her.

"I have never being away from them before" the young girl told Esmie which confused her. Even if the girl was actually a first year they were more than half-way through the year, she should be used to being away from home by now.

"Are you a first year?" Esmerelda asked the girl trying to help her.

Luna shook her head and sniffed before she replied. "No I am a second year but I only moved here last week, my granny hasn't being well so we moved so we could be near her, last year I attended a day witch school but my parents didn't like the ones around us and sent me here" Luna explained making the mystery start to make more sense.

"Oh I see" Esmerelda replied as she realised why the girl was so upset, It was always hard leaving home for the first time, especially if you didn't have a sibling to help you with the transition. Esmerelda had found it really difficult too, but she had always cried in private so no-one knew about it.

"It is hard isn't it? I was homesick when I first started here too" Esmerelda told her as she sat down next to the dark haired girl.

"You were?" Luna asked looking at her with tear filled eyes.

"Yes, I missed my daughter and my sister very much and I didn't want to be away from them" Esmerelda told the girl with a soft smile.

"How did you stop being upset about it?" Luna asked looking at Esmerelda seriously as she waited for an answer.

Esmerelda thought about that then. How did she stop being upset about it and how could she explain that to Luna? She could only try to explain it the best she could.

"I never stopped being upset about it really, I just learned to cope, I knew I would be able to talk to Ethel and Sybil through the mirror calls and even though I still missed them everyday I got used to living away from them, the pain of missing them doesn't go away, it only gets easier Luna" Esmerelda explained to the youngster.

"Are you sure?" Luna asked sounding unconvinced.

"I promise, you will see your parents sooner than you think and you can talk to them all the time, and I know they must be missing you very much too but don't worry you will be just fine" Esmerelda told Luna trying her best to reassure her.

"I will?" Luna asked sweetly, her voice still shaky.

"Yes Luna, if you are ever really homesick come find me and talk to me yes? Don't sit here by yourself" Esmerelda told her and sighed. No-one had clearly being paying attention anywise they would have realised Luna was suffering through bad homesickness.

Luna suddenly hugged Esmerelda, clearly grateful for her talking and listening to her when no-one had tried. Esmie smiled and stroked the young girl's back gently before she pulled away and Esmie asked her a question.

"What lesson are you meant to be in?" she asked the girl knowing she was skipping class as second years did not have free periods.

"Flying, but I am scared of flying" she told Esmie and the blonde woman smiled gently at Luna before standing up and offering her hand to her.

"Come on, I will take you to your lesson" Esmie told her as the girl held onto her tightly.

"I will get into trouble" Luna said sadly looking at the floor.

* * *

"Maybe so, but you will get in more trouble if you don't go" Esmerelda told her as she led her outside. Sybil waved to her sister happily and looked at the new girl smiling at her slightly.

"What time do we call this?" Miss Drill asked her student annoyed.

"Sorry Miss" the girl said looking at the floor. Esmerelda looked at the teacher and whispered.

"She is really homesick, I found her crying in the library, I don't think she is coping with the change from being at home very well" Esmerelda told Miss Drill feeling she should know.

"Oh thank you for letting me know, I will inform Miss Cackle and see if we can help her settle, thank you Esmerelda" Miss Drill told her touching her arm and smiling at her. Esmie smiled and left the lesson then happy she was able to help the young girl.

* * *

Sybil came to find her sister when it was breaktime. She burst into the room and started talking instantly.

"Luna hasn't stopped blabbing about you, you really made an expression on her" Sybil told her sister as she sat on the bed.

"I didn't do much" Esmie told her sister as Ethel entered the room.

"You did, she is not scared anymore because you reassured her" Sybil told her sister and Ethel smiled then as an idea came to her head.

"That is it!, I just thought of what you can do at Cackles!" Ethel said beaming.

"What you mean Ethie?" Esmerelda asked not understanding.

"Well Cackles doesn't have a counsellor, that is something they could use, you listen to everyone ad make them feel better, you should ask Miss Cackle if you can be the school counsellor" Ethel suggested as the more she said it the more the idea sounded good.

"I don't know Ethie, I probably need training for that" Esmie told her daughter.

"You never know unless you try" Sybil replied smiling as she also liked the idea now and Esmerelda in turn smiled. Miss Cackle could refuse but she will never know unless she asked.

"Ethel, you are a genius, that idea might just work" Esmerelda replied hugging both girls tightly.

"Love you mum" Ethel said

"Love you too Ethie" Esmerelda told her

"I love you too Esmie" Sybil said not wanting to be left out

"I love you too Sybie-Wybie" Esmerelda replied kissing them both on the head and smiling.


	21. Chapter 21 - A Proposal

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Chapter Twenty-One

 **A Proposal**

Esmerelda took a deep breath as she was nervous, she was stood outside Ada Cackle's office door, preparing to ask her about the idea Ethel had had. She didn't hold out much hope for Ada to agree but right now she was at a standstill and she had to try something. She raised her hand and knocked.

"Come in" she heard the familiar voice of the older woman say. Esmie walked in dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt and smiled at the headteacher.

"Hi Esmerelda, is everything alright?" Ada asked curiously wondering why the girl was there.

"Yes" Esmie told the woman before she shook her head "No, I was just wanting to ask you a question" Esmie said relieved HB was teaching as she didn't need her breathing down her neck right now.

"Oh" Ada said confused as Esmerelda normally didn't come to ask her anything. Was this something to do with Sauron? Ada was not sure but she stood up and walked to the comfy chairs and told Esmerelda to take a seat.

"Are Ethel and Sybil okay?" Ada asked thinking it might have something to do with the younger girls.

"Oh yes everything is fine with the girls, I actually needed to ask you something about working here" Esmerelda replied getting last to the point. The woman sighed and Esmie suspected she was remembering when she had asked her that same question the year prior.

"I know what you are thinking, I asked you last year of course and you said no" Esmerelda told Cackle telling her she remembered full well that conversation.

"I know you have your magic back and we now know you are an adult but I still don't have any jobs going Esmerelda" Ada told the girl, well woman, feeling bad about letting her down again.

"I know but Ethel thought of an idea yesterday and it is a good one, and I am not just saying that because she happens to be my daughter" Esmerelda told the woman as she knew she would think she is doing this for Ethel's sake.

"What idea does Ethel have?" Ada asked confused as to what the younger blonde had come up with.

"I suspect Miss Drill told you about Luna?" Esmie started by saying knowing it would not make sense anywise.

"Yes she did, I meant to thank you for that, she seems to have settled much better already" Ada smiled having already seen a change in the second year girl since Esmie had spoke to her.

"It was nothing, I couldn't leave her crying on the floor by herself" Esmerelda explained not knowing how anyone who had a heart could.

"Yes but it is one think comforting someone and another making them listen" Ada explained knowing the girl had a talent for people listening to her.

"That is exactly what Ethel thought, Ethel thought it might be a good idea if I worked in Cackles as a counsellor, you said yourself that I get people to listen, I have spoke to my sister and Ethel hundreds of times when they have been upset, I think I can help pupils who need someone to talk to" Esmerelda replied still surprised it was not a requirement for schools to have one. She was sure Mildred had said once it was in non-magical schools so why in magical ones?

Ada looked at Esmie confused before she spoke, using her pity voice.

"Esmerelda, you can't just be a counsellor, you have to train for that sort of thing" Ada explained to her, thinking it was a good idea but without training she couldn't let it happen.

"I know Miss Cackle, but maybe I can train as I work, I am a fast learner" Esmerelda told her trying to convince her this was a good idea.

"I don't know about this" Ada said still not sure what she should do.

"Miss Cackle, sometimes children need someone to talk too, sometimes they don't trust their parents and they need someone that they know won't judge them, when I was pretending to be Ethel's sister I couldn't tell anyone, I had no-one to talk to about it, I was alone, I know I would have liked someone who kept my secret confidential, and I know there are other kids out there who also need someone" Esmerelda told the woman hoping she would understand that.

Ada listened and then felt sad and in a way guilty. Esmerelda must have been suffering with the weight of keeping her secret and then in a way that was partly her fault Esmerelda lost her powers and went down a dangerous road of depression. Mr and Mrs Hallow were not the type to let their daughter have counselling. It would shame the family. If a counsellor was available at Cackles and the students could use it without having to ask it would eliminate that problem. Ada was not delusion, she knew her students probably had problems they would never tell her or the other teachers for fear of what would happen.

"I agree it would be a great idea to have a counsellor" Ada told Esmerelda thinking that might help problems with the students tremendously.

"Exactly, so you can give me the job" Esmerelda commented with a small smile.

"Esmerelda..." Ada sighed not wanting to let her down.

"How about on a trial basis, I am sure I can find a college somewhere which will let me study and then sometimes work instead if I explain my situation, it will be like an apprenticeship" Esmerelda said happily.

Ada did like the idea. She would rather have someone she knew working at a school than a stranger and she suspected the girls would too. They like and trust Esmerelda so they wouldn't have to built the trust, even if some of the girls were still being off with the blonde because of the whole lying about her age and the fact she was a mother fiasco, most of the students had come to the conclusion she had no choice in the matter and it was not her fault.

"I am not saying no" Ada told the girl who smiled before Ada quickly finished speaking.

"But I am not saying yes, I can't just say yes, the Great Wizard will have to decide if it is allowed first" Ada told Esmerelda and she sighed. She had forgot about him but she had confidence he would think it was a good idea.

"I also need to talk to the other staff about it you understand, but I will let you know soon" Ada told the blonde who smiled and stood up.

"That is all I ask, thank you Miss Cackle" she told the woman as she jumped up and left. Ada sighed not knowing if this will go how she wanted.

* * *

That evening when she had the rare occurrence where all the staff were in the staffroom at the same time she decided to bring the subject up. She wasn't sure how any of the staff would feel about it. She knew they liked Esmerelda as a pupil but as a staff member was different.

"Well I for one think it is a brilliant idea" Miss Drill said once she had been told what Esmerelda had gone to see Ada about that morning. "She is brilliant with the pupils, and she has a point, students don't always want to talk to us" Dimity told the staffroom as she drank her coffee.

"Yes and Esmerelda is able to make people feel better" Miss Bat replied as Algernon nodded in agreement knowing what she meant. Esmie was always a pupil who was looking after the other students and was well liked among them because of this.

"I agree on the fact I think Esmerelda would be good at her job, but we don't need a counsellor, we have made do without one for centuries, we don't need one now" Hecate told the staff not so keen on the idea as having a counsellor to her meant they were admitting their pupils had problems.

"Exactly, how many students do you think have suffered in silence, especially with the code saying they are not allowed to complain" Dimity replied thinking it was time for a change such as this.

"I agree with Miss Drill, we don't have any idea what is going on in our pupils minds, even if we tell ourselves we do" Ada replied ignoring the glare she knew Hecate was sending her, normally Ada and Hecate thought alike but in this case she just couldn't agree with the dark haired deputy.

"Great, I think the students will be thrilled they having the option of talking to someone" Algernon replied with a smile.

"Yes well, the Great Wizard still has to agree to it" Ada told everyone not wanting them to get to used to the idea.

"Well he better agree to it unless he wants pupils to go on suffering because of his stupid rules" she said as she drank more of her coffee.

"Miss Drill!" Hecate shouted at her her not able to believe she was talking bad about the code.

"Oh don't tell me you don't think it Hecate, everyone does" Dimity said knowing everyone hated the code they were just too scared to say it.

"She has a point, it is the code which normally causes the problems for the girls" Miss Bat replied before looking down at the floor at the look Hecate was currently giving her.

"Thank you for all your input, I will run it past the Great Wizard" Ada said trying to stop her staff fighting and not giving her opinion about how she felt about the code.


	22. Chapter 22 - More Worries

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Chapter Twenty-Two

 **More Worries**

Ada contacted the Great Wizard the very next day once she found some free time and explained the situation to him. She wasn't sure how he would react and the man looked at her touching his chin lost in thought once she had finished explaining the situation to him.

"I know it would be a big change your Greatness and it might be hard to get the parents on board" Ada replied knowing many parents would not like the idea of their daughters having counselling as it was just seen as taboo in the magical world.

"You have a fair point" he told Ada still trying to think what would be best

"I thought so your Greatness" Ada told him with a small smile as she was not sure if he thought this was a good idea or not.

"Pentangles have had a counsellor for a couple of years now" he told Ada who nodded as she knew that already. It was just another modern thing the school had taken on board.

"I know your Greatness" Ada told him with a sigh wondering if he was going to say no purely as then they would be copying them, after all there was rivalry between the schools.

"It seems to have helped matters, it is popular, especially among the girls" he told Ada as he had seen how widely the teenagers used it, especially because they knew what they told the counsellor would be confidential and they didn't have to ask to use it.

"Yes well teenage girls have more to worry about than boys" Ada told him truthfully knowing teenage years were harder for them with the changes in their bodies and the pressures put on them about what to do and not to do.

"I think Cackles could benefit from it" he told Ada who smiled.

"So you are saying yes?" Ada asked thinking it had gone easier than she thought it would.

"If Esmerelda gets proper training for it" he told Ada and the woman smiled glad she would be able to give the blonde the good news.

"We will try it for a month or so and see how it works, and then I will make my decision based on that" he told Ada whose smiled dropped a bit as she he had high exceptions and she hoped they could reach them but she had confidence they would.

"Thank you your Greatness" she told him as they said goodbye and cut the call off.

* * *

Esmerelda was with Ethel and Sybil in her bedroom showing them some old pictures she had found when she had been cleaning up from her teenage days.

"You were so blonde! Well you are blonde but you know what I mean, your hair was such a bright shade then" Ethel told her mother as she looked at the old pictures. Her mother used to have the same colour hair as her and Sybil.

"Mum and dad changed it as they said it was a giveaway to how Miriam looked" Esmerelda explained to Ethel with a sigh, wishing she had not had to change her appearance but it had to be done or someone would have recognised her.

"And you look to much like Ethel like that" Sybil commented as she looked at the old picture of her sister too.

"True, you two would have cottoned on anywise" Esmerelda told them as she did look a lot like Ethel before she changed her appearance.

"Ha look at this one, you can see HB yelling in the background" Ethel told them and her sister and mother snorted as they saw HB telling Miriam and Sauron off and looking angry.

"She hasn't changed at all" Sybil said as she looked at the younger Miss Hardbroom.

"Oh yes she has….she likes me...that has changed" Esmerelda told them remembering how insane Miriam used to drive her. They all laughed and nodded knowing that was definitely true just as there was a knock at the door.

"Come in" Esmerelda said expecting it to be a pupil who needed to ask them something. None of them moved. It was not against school rules to sit on a bed crossed legged and looking at pictures even if HB would find a way to pretend it was.

Ada walked in and smiled seeing Esmerelda with Ethel and Sybil and a bunch of pictures in front of them.

"Good evening" she said to them. Esmerelda turned around to face her and smiled a bit awkwardly as she didn't normally see Ada in her room.

"Sorry to barge in on you like this" Ada told them and Esmerelda waved her hand dismissively.

"Don't worry about it….is everything okay?" Esmerelda asked worried she had done something wrong.

"I have spoken to the Great Wizard and he likes the idea you proposed about working as a counsellor" Ada told the girl with smiled.

"Really?" she asked as she had expected him to hate it in all honesty.

"Yes, and he has agreed to let you work on a trial basis" Ada told the blonde woman who beamed at Ethel and Sybil.

"Thank you so much Miss Cackle, I won't let you down" Esmerelda told her prepared to work hard to impress the Great Wizard.

"Now all you have to do is find a college to study at" she told Esmerelda who bit her lip as that was the hard bit.

"I will look into it and let you know when I have one" Esmerelda told her, her good mood dampening with that.

"Great, I look forward to it, I will leave you to it" Ada said seeing the girls still sitting on the bed awkwardly and she left, not wanting to invade in their private time with one another.

"What is wrong?" Ethel asked seeing the look on her mother's face and knowing she was worried.

"I just don't know if I am going to be able to find a college, I mean with the requirements I have it will be difficult" Esmerelda told Ethel and sighed.

"Requirements?" Sybil asked looking at her confused.

"Well I will only be able to go there certain hours because I will have to work the rest of the time" Esmerelda told Sybil wondering how many would listen to her when she told them that.

"I am sure there are other students who are in the same situation, anyway, isn't that the point of an apprenticeship?" Ethel asked knowing with an apprenticeship sometimes you worked and sometimes you were at school.

"Yes, but I have you two as well, I know I don't have to worry about childcare as you are staying at school but sometimes I might not be able to go in if you are sick or something" Esmerelda replied worried.

"Well I am sure it will be fine, stop panicking" Ethel told her mother even if she knew her mother couldn't stop as that was how she was.

"I need this job, what if no-one will let me into their college?" she panicked talking fast.

"They will do" Sybil told Esmerelda not believing anyone would turn her away because she had responsibilities. She was sure other students had children too.

"And if they don't we will figure something out" Ethel told her not liking how much she was panicking.

Esmerelda knew she should calm down. She was making to big a deal out of this but she couldn't help it. She hated to think the girls would be harmed.

"Come on mum, it is mirror day, let's go talk to Sauron and get your mind of it" Ethel told her grabbing har arm and pulling her towards the door.

"You are right" Esmie told her wrapping an arm around both of them.

"Of course we are, we have each together we will be fine, isn't that what you always say?" Sybil replied smartly and Esmie smiled feeling so much better. Sybil was right, she had her darling girls with her and they would all be fine no matter what happened.


	23. Chapter 23 - Looking Up

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Chapter Twenty-Three

 **Looking Up**

Esmerelda applied to a few different colleges as soon as she could, wanting to get started on her new job as soon as possible. One of them she got rejected from, another she got accepted to but was told there was waiting lists for the course she wanted to do. The last one she was accepted to and offered an interview. Esmerelda was currently stood looking in her mirror dressed smartly and firmly. This was her chance to impress or she might have to wait until next year to reapply when colleges took more enrolments. She was applying at an odd time after all.

She flew to the college nervously, it was strange, Esmie was not really one to get nervous but she currently had butterflies in her stomach and felt queasy but she took a breath and walked into reception where she was told to wait.

She didn't know if she should lie to them and tell them she wanted a place on this course as she had always loved the subject but never got around to studying. In reality, she only became interested when she needed a job but she was not sure that would sit well with them if she told them that. She had not much time to think though as she was soon called in by a man with greying hair, dressed in green robes for her interview. He sat behind a shiny oak desk and Esmerelda took the seat opposite.

"Esmerelda Hallow" the man said and Esmie closed her eyes wondering if he had heard the rumours about her and the scandals in her family. She knew most people still didn't know the whole story and she was hoping she would not have to explain she was not the one behind the brains of tricking the magical world.

"Yes sir" Esmerelda said forcing a smile and looking at him sat behind his shiny oak desk.

"My name is Mr Tippet, I am the headmaster of this college" he explained to the woman who nodded.

"What a pleasure it is to meet you" Esmerelda said trying to win him over.

"Yes" he said as he flipped through the papers on his desk which had Esmie's application form written on it.

"I understand you want to do a counselling apprenticeship" he told Esmerelda who nodded confirming he was correct.

"Luckily for you we had a drop out so we have a space left on the course" he told Esmerelda who tried not to look too happy about that as she didn't want to appear desperate. Instead she cleared her throat before speaking.

"How many days a week would I be here?" she asked knowing some days she worked and some days she went to college.

"Two, three days working, two at college, Thursdays and Fridays will be your days in" he explained to Esmerelda before he narrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"You have put your address as a school" he told the girl as he looked closer at her form. Esmerelda knew this was going to come up in a way. After all most people had their own address.

"Yes, right now I am living at Cackles Academy, my sister and daughter attend there and I was made homeless a couple of months ago so the teachers kindly let me stay there for now" Esmerelda explained as best as she could.

"I see, and you would be wanting to work at Cackles during your apprenticeship?" Tippet asked looking at the blonde.

"Yes, the headteacher and the Great Wizard have already given the okay for that, but of course I need some training" Esmerelda told the headmaster, hoping he would not say she could go on the course but was not allowed to work at Cackles.

"And you have left your qualifications section blank" he told Esmerelda who felt her mouth go dry in worry as he said that. This was the part where she suspected he was going to change his mind and tell her she could not do the course after all.

"The thing about that is I don't actually have any, I had my daughter young and never got the chance to finish school" Esmerelda told him before looking at the floor with a sigh knowing it looked really bad.

When the man sat there and said nothing Esmerelda carried on talking. She knew he was properly just thinking but she knew she had to explain.

"I pick up things quickly though, and my grades at school were always exceptional" she told him even if they were not the first time around, but he didn't need to know that.

"Maybe so, but why should I give you the slot on this course when I have people who have worked hard academically for this?" the man asked but his tone was not very harsh. It was more a tone of wonderment. A tone asking her to explain why she wanted to be on the course.

Esmerelda thought then. Lying had got her nowhere in the past, her or Ethel or Sybil. Lies came back to haunt you after a while. She would not let that happen.

"I know people have worked hard to get here, but so have I, I have had to pretend I am someone else for most of my life, my parents forced me to pretend my daughter was my sister, it is only recent everyone found out that is a lie, and now I have nothing, no home, no job, no money and I am not allowed to study at school anymore as I am to old, I am doing this for my daughter and sister, I want to be able to provide for them properly for once, get money to buy us a home and food, I know you have properly heard stories like this before and you don't really care and I am not going to lie and say I wanted to be a counsellor for years as I only thought of it a few weeks ago, but I will work harder than anyone else now I have the chance too, but I have responsibilities and I have baggage, my girls come first in my life but I know I can help people not have to be in the dark alone like I was" Esmerelda explained to the man who just kept looking at her. She didn't know what he was thinking but properly that she was not convincing him.

"I am sorry for wasting your time" Esmerelda told the man standing up "You are right, I was wrong to come here it is not fair on the others, I am sorry" Esmerelda said before walking out. She had no chance now of getting a place on the course. She held her tears in until she was outside and mounted her broomstick teary. She would just have to think of something else.

* * *

"How was it?" Sybil asked as soon as she walked through the door of her bedroom an hour later. Ethel and Sybil were waiting for her on the bed.

Esmerelda sighed and sat between them sadly and shook her head.

"Sorry, it didn't go well" Esmerelda told them and Ethel could see she was sad so hugged her.

"It is alright, next time will be successful" Ethel said trying to cheer her up.

"No other colleges have places right now Ethie" Esmerelda told her and the three of them fell silent, none of them knowing what to say.

* * *

Esmerelda was really sad for the rest of the week, though she hid it will and was currently sitting on her bed reading a book as the girls were in lessons as her mirror beeped. Sauron found mirroring fun and was always messing around. She answered it preparing to tell him she was not in the mood for him being childish.

"Oh" Esmerelda said as she saw the headmaster of the college she had attended "Well met" Esmie said greeting him quickly wondering what he wanted.

"I am glad you answered, do you still want the place on the course?" he asked Esmerelda.

Esmerelda was shocked and confused. Did this mean she had a place? But why would she be given a place after that interview?

"Well yes but….why would you give me a place? It mist be a mistake" Esmerelda told him thinking he had rang the wrong person.

"It isn't I gave you the space, I want you to have it" he told Esmerelda who was even more shocked by that.

"But why?" Esmerelda asked surprised he had fallen for a sob story.

"Because you told me the truth and you told me why you wanted the place, I get so many applicants who lie to impress me, I was impressed you told me the truth" he told Esmerelda with a smile before he kept talking "And you also have something the applicants with qualifications don't have" he told the girl who narrowed her eyes confused.

"I do?" Esmerelda asked "What is that?"

"Experience with the real world, many of the applicants are younger and have never so much as experienced half the things their clients need help with, you have being in a dark place, that makes you more understanding" the man explained with a smile.

"So this is a serious offer? I really got the place?" Esmerelda asked for clarity still thinking she heard wrong.

"Yes if you want it" Tippet replied kindly.

"Yes please, thank you so much" Esmerelda told him thrilled that it had worked out.

"Great when can you start?" he asked Esmerelda

"As soon as possible would be great" Esmerelda replied

"Great, Monday morning, class starts at nine, see you then" he told Esmerelda who ended the call and jumped and squealed excited, unable to wait to tell Ethel and Sybil.


	24. Chapter 24 - First Day

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Chapter Twenty-Four

 **First Day**

Esmerelda turned up at the college earlier than she had to, always one who was fashionably early. Today was just an introduction day and she walked into her classroom where she met Miss Lampshade who would be her teacher for the course. She had ginger hair which was styled in a pixie cut and so many freckles on her face there was not a part not covered in them. Esmie hid a smirk and promised to tell Ethel and Sybil her teacher's name when they got home as she knew they would find it amusing.

"I know you are behind by a few months from the rest of your class which means you will have to study extra hard to catch up" her teacher explained as she looked at the blonde.

"I am used to studying hard, I won't let you down" Esmerelda told her. The ginger woman nodded and smiled before she explained Esmie would be expected to attend class for two weeks before she could actually start working.

"That is great, thank you" Esmerelda told her as she left, nervous for Thursday when her real first lesson would begin.

* * *

Walking through the door her for her first lesson she caught sight of her classmates for the first time. Most of them were sat in groups, having already formed their friendships. Esmerelda took a seat at the back of the room, a few chairs away from the others, wanting to concentrate on her studies and not making friends.

"Class" Miss Lampshade said as she appeared before them, everyone fell silent "We have a new pupil today, Esmerelda Hallow" the woman said monitoring to the blonde girl who smiled awkwardly. Some of the class looked at her, others yawned bored.

"Let us get right into our lesson" the woman said with a smile.

Esmerelda knew half an hour into her first lesson she had made the right decision attending this college. Her teacher was brilliant. She was not soft like Miss Bat but not overly strict like HB, she was in between. She was kind to the pupils but if someone played her up she came down on them hard, no-one spoke in the class even though the woman was speaking in a calm tone. Clearly she had respect from her pupils and made the lessons interesting enough that no-one wanted to talk.

The lesson Esmerelda had that day was fascinating. She never knew so much went into being a counsellor ad there was so many things you had to learn. Esmerelda was reading up on different mental illnesses teenagers suffer from when she heard her teacher tell them they had to do group work, Esmie dreaded group work even at Cackles, she was not good with other people, some people were already monitoring to their friends but Lampshade shook her head saying she was going to place them in groups herself which lead to some groans from the class. Esmie was relieved though, at least she would not end up in a corner alone.

"Esmerelda can you work with Marisol and Noah please?" she said pointing to a girl on the other end of the room. Esmie nodded and stood up seeing a young boy get up to join them. Marisol was mixed race with brown eyes and light brown hair which was long and wavy. Noah had darker brown hair and blue eyes. Marisol looked around twenty and Noah looked closer to Esmie's age.

"Hi" Esmie said awkwardly as she joined them. Marisol smiled shyly and Esmie returned the shy smile.

"Our task is to decide the advice we would give to these different scenarios" Marisol said as she pointed to the people on the worksheet in front of her. Noah had not spoke yet but then suddenly found his voice.

"You are a Hallow?" he commented looking at Esmie who nodded.

"Yes that is right" Esmerelda said not sure whether he was questioning her as he hated her family or something.

"That is cool, I have never met anyone from your family before" he commented and Esmie smiled.

"Well now you have" Esmerelda replied with a smile.

"My aunt went to school with a Hallow" Marisol replied and Esmerelda was shocked because the Hallows had always attended the same school which meant her aunt had gone to Cackles and as most families tended to attend schools together it was likely Marisol had too.

"Really? You went to Cackles then?" Esmerelda replied and the girl nodded confirming she had.

"Yes, it is pretty cool there" Marisol said having of missed the school

"I went to Camelot" Noah told the two girls and Esmerelda knew he meant the Camelot College for boys which was much like Cackles but for wizards. In fact it was the school where the Hallow family sent the wizards in the family.

"My father attended there..." Esmerelda said before looking down not thinking it was a good idea to talk about him. She didn't really want to talk about him.

"Oh really? Small world" Noah said surprised.

None of them really spoke after that as they were focused doing there work. Esmerelda was more relaxed now she was not being treated like dirt, as she had been worried everyone would be cruel to her. When they had finished the task and whilst they were waiting for the other groups to finish, Marisol spoke again.

"So what brings you here so late into the year?" Marisol asked curiously and Esmerelda decided to just be truthful, she was not in danger now.

"I needed a job, my daughter and sister helped me realise I would be best at being a counsellor, because I am good at talking to people" Esmerelda replied matter of factly.

"Wait, you have a child?" Noah asked looking at Esmerelda as if he was unable to believe that.

"Yes, I had her when I was young obviously, it is a long story though how I ended up here" Esmerelda told them and Marisol smiled at her.

"I am not going to judge, you can't in our line of work" the girl told Esmerelda who smiled back at her. Noah shrugged seeming not really bothered.

"Thanks, I am nervous about starting work but I am excited too" Esmerelda told Marisol but they fell quiet as Miss Lampshade silenced them and asked them for their answers. She was impressed with the advice Esmerelda's group had come up with.

"Esmerelda thought of the quote" Marisol said. They had been asked to write down something they would choose to tell all their clients but they were only allowed one per group and for some reason Noah and Marisol had liked Esmie's much more. The one she had choose was 'Beauty and Darkness come from within, only you can choose which one will control you" Esmerelda had not thought it was anything special but Lampshade really seemed to like it.

"How did you think of that?" she asked Esmerelda clearly impressed.

Esmerelda shrugged as she didn't have one specific reason but she answered the question as best as she could.

"Well people always say beauty comes from within, which is true, but so does darkness, people can change through their choices, for example if they choose to seek help" Esmerelda replied explaining her main reason for choosing that quote. Her teacher smiled at her really impressed.

* * *

The rest of the lesson went on without to much drama. Esmerelda was happy, she had been nervous but the lesson had gone better than she expected and she found it interesting and that she really was not that far behind anyone else. When the bell rang the class pooled out of the room and Esmie lagged behind as she put her books away and looked at the photo of her and Ethel and Sybil in her bag, hardly able to wait to get home and squeeze them.

"That was impressive today" Miss Lampshade said as she saw Esmerelda. The girl looked up at her and smiled still holding the picture in her hand.

"Not more so than anyone else" Esmerelda replied with a shrug.

"Yes...it was very impressive, I know you are going to be brilliant at counselling" she told Esmerelda who smiled at her gratefully.

"I am doing it for them" Esmerelda said showing her the picture. The ginger woman took it and smiled at it.

"They are beautiful" she told Esmerelda who beamed proudly at that as the woman handed her back the photo.

"Thank you for your kind words, now if you excuse me I really need to get home, I am desperate to give them a cuddle" Esmerelda told her teacher who chucked but nodded.

"Of course you are, never take people you love for granted, go on I am sure they are waiting for you" she told Esmie who headed for the door with a smile.

"Oh Esmerelda?" her teacher said and Esmie tuned around to face her.

"I am glad you didn't choose darkness" she told Esmerelda who smiled at her teacher, liking her already.

"Me too Miss" Esmie said as she left the room walking fast so she could get outside and grab her broomstick to get to her Ethie and Sybie quicker.


	25. Chapter 25 - Flashbacks

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Chapter Twenty-Five

 **Flashbacks**

Esmerelda enjoyed her class as the weeks went on and was nervous because today she would be starting work at Cackles. She was currently sitting in the new room that had being made for her looking through some notes to try to remember everything. She was to nervous as of now to sit in the staffroom as it was weird sitting with her teachers in her private room. A knock on the door sent her out of her thoughts.

"Good morning Miss Cackle" Esmie said as she saw the woman walk through the door. Ada smiled but her smile turned to one of confusion. Esmerelda looked a bit different, older maybe? She couldn't put her finger on how exactly but there was something different.

"You got a gift" Ada told Esmerelda handing her a box of chocolates with a piece of paper attached to it. Esmie opened the paper and read them message on it.

' _Make sure to eat some before the girls get to them or you won't get any, good luck for today. Sauron_ " Esmie smiled gratefully that he was thoughtful. He knew chocolates helped everyone feel better.

"Thank you Miss Cackle" Esmerelda told the woman as she smiled

"Are you nervous?" Ada asked knowing the girl must be

"A bit, but I am fine thank you" Esmerelda told the woman who smiled at her sympathetically as the bell rang.

"If you need anything come and see me" Ada told Esmerelda who smiled.

"Thanks miss" Esmerelda said before waiting for her to leave to open the chocolates and eat two. She felt her nerves die down as she did that.

* * *

Esmerelda was nervous, more than she let on. She didn't know when, or if, any pupils were even going to come and see her. As she waited she did some work that she had to do, not expecting much on her first day. Around after an hour after she started someone knocked on the door.

"Come in" Esmerelda said nervously wondering if it was a pupil or a teacher coming to check on her. The door opened but no-one walked in. Esmie narrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"Hello?" Esmie said confused and rolling her eyes about to get up to close the door thinking someone was messing around when a young girl popped her head around the door fearfully. She had curly brown hair tied back in a ponytail. Esmerelda had seen the girl before and she was sure she was a fourth year but she wasn't sure. She had never actually spoke to her just seen her around the school.

"Hi there, come in" Esmie said. The girl stared at her as if trying to decide whether to bolt or not but decided to go in and she sat on the comfy chair opposite Esmie.

"Hi, what is your name?" Esmerelda asked sweetly as she looked at the girl. She didn't respond though but Esmie knew even when someone came to help, it didn't mean they were going to open up easily but Esmie was concerned as the girl looked sickly and pale.

"Do you need to talk? Talking helps everyone, if we talk I can help you" Esmerelda told her knowing something was plaguing the girl.

"Will you tell?" the girl asked looking at Esmie with a scared look but Esmie knew she had to tell her the facts.

"I have to tell someone if you tell me something that is causing you harm or affecting your well-being" Esmerelda explained knowing most of the time things were confidential but sometimes she did have to tell if she was worried about someone's well-being. It was only fair to make the girl aware of that.

"I….I'm in trouble" the young girl said looking on the verge of tears. Her brown eyes glistened with tears.

"What kind of trouble?" Esmerelda asked worried about the girl.

"I….I…." the girl said playing with her hands.

"Take your time it is okay" Esmerelda told her knowing she couldn't push to much or she will close down completely.

"I …..I'm pregnant" the girl said before bursting into tears no longer able to hold it in.

Esmerelda had flashbacks in that moment to her as a fourteen year old and finding out she was pregnant. It was terrifying at the time. When you realise you can no longer be a child anymore and you realise that the is a little life growing in you. It is lonely and you don't know how you will ever tell anyone. Esmerelda did not speak to anyone for a long time. She couldn't tell her parents and she told Sauron after a few days, but that was the hardest part. Figuring out what you are meant to do is the terrifying part. Esmie though of course could relate to the young girl.

The girl cried and Esmerelda touched her back gently, trying to offer here some comfort even though she knew it was a scary experience for the girl.

"It is alright, when did you find out?" Esmerelda asked hoping she had not being keeping this secret for too long.

"Yesterday, I didn't know what to do, but you had your daughter young so I thought I could tell you" the girl said lifting her head as tears fell out of her eyes. Esmie smiled sympathetically and gave her a tissue.

"That is wise of you, I remember how scary it is to find that out, how are you feeling right now?" Esmerelda asked wanting to get more to the bottom of how the girl felt about this because it did not mean she felt the same way Esmerelda had done.

"I don't know I am numb….I don't know if I want it or not, and I don't know how to tell anyone" the girl said. Esmerelda had known she wanted Ethel from the first second but it didn't mean other girls knew that. She nodded and touched the girl's arm.

"Try not to think to deeply into that right now, it needs a chance to kick in" Esmerelda told the girl sadly.

"I don't want to tell my boyfriend" the girl said as she cried more wiping her eyes.

"I am sorry I have to ask whether or not it was consensual" Esmerelda asked knowing if the girl had been raped it would be a different situation. The girl nodded.

"I love him, I wanted too, I am just scared he won't want to know" the girl said clearly all her worries coming to her mind. "He goes to Camelot, we are both in forth year" the girl said confirming to Esmie she was indeed a forth year.

"That is a possibility, but I still recommend you tell him, if he wants to know then you need all the support you can get" Esmerelda told the girl who sobbed gently.

"I think it will be best if you told Miss Cackle too" Esmerelda explained to the young girl knowing from experience keeping it a secret was not the way to go.

"No...you can't" the young girl said crying

"Look I kept mine a secret, I ended up giving birth with only my boyfriend there, and keeping it a secret got me nowhere, my baby was taken of me anyway, I know it is hard, but you still have time to decide what is best and for people to get used to it" Esmerelda told her and the girl nodded and sighed knowing she was right.

"I am scared people will be angry" the young girl said looking at the floor.

"They might be, but they still should be told" Esmerelda told her "What is your name?" Esmerelda asked again now the girl was calmer.

"Annie.." the girl replied with a sigh.

"Annie, I promise you everything will be okay, whether you decide to keep it or not is up to you but it will be just fine" Esmerelda explained knowing how scared the girl was.

"Do you ever regret it? Keeping your daughter I mean I know you love her but you were so young do you ever wished you had waited?" Annie asked looking at Esmerelda seriously.

"Not even for a second, I don't regret having Ethel, my life went differently than I expected but without Ethel I wouldn't have a sister, I wouldn't have such joy in my life so no I don't regret it, I am glad it happened" Esmerelda told Annie honestly.

"Come on, let's go see Miss Cackle, once it is off your chest you will feel better" Esmerelda told the young girl as she stood up. Annie stood up too.

"Thank you, for helping me, I didn't know where else to go" Annie admitted to Esmerelda and the blonde smiled.

"That is what I am here for" Esmerelda explained as they started to walk to the door. Esmeralda looked at the girl beside her and smiled. Whether she chose to keep the baby or not was one thing but one thing was for sure, Annie was not going to suffer in silence how she had all those years ago. Things were going to be different for her.

As Esmerelda led the girl to the headteacher's office she knew she had picked the right profession, helping someone through such a scary time was something Esmerelda could do and she had told the truth. She didn't regret her life and she was glad she was able to help the young Annie through a time that would turn her life around.


	26. Chapter 26 - Things Working Out

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Chapter Twenty-Six

 **Things Working Out**

When Esmerelda took Annie to Miss Cackle and explained what the girl had told her Ada and Hecate found it hard to hide their shock. Annie was someone, they thought, was sensible but Esmerelda knew from experience being sensible did not make it impossible.

"I am sorry" Annie said as she cried, scared and ashamed she had allowed this to happen.

"It is alright dear, we are going to have to contact your parents to let them know" Ada explained hoping Esmerelda had already thought of telling her that.

"I know, Esmerelda told me" Annie replied sniffling.

"I also think it would be wise to contact the father" Ada said knowing it was a good idea that he knew even if he decided it was to much for him.

"May I go and mirror him?" Annie asked as it was not a mirror day so she normally wouldn't be allowed.

"Yes go ahead, we will get in contact with your parents as you do" Hecate told the girl who nodded before leaving still upset.

"That was a wise thing to do, bringing her to me Esmerelda" Ada told the blonde who smiled slightly. She was more affected than she let on.

* * *

The rest of the day went slowly for the young woman as she was worried about Annie. She didn't want the girl to have a hard time but she couldn't do much more to help. When the school-day ended Esmerelda was not shocked she had only had one person come to her, it sometimes took days or even weeks for students to get confident enough to seek help. Esmie left her office and started to head back to her bedroom, the thought of Annie on her mind.

"How was it mum?" Ethel asked as she bounded through the door and smiled at her. Esmerelda looked at Ethel and like always she fell in love with her again like she did every time she laid eyes on her, the same thing always happened with Sybil, which was exactly why she could not stay mad at them for so long.

"It was...eventful" Esmerelda said as she unclipped her hair and let it hang lose.

"How so sis?" Sybil asked as she sat next to her. Esmerelda told them about Annie and Sybil sighed.

"Poor girl" she said knowing it must be scary to find out you are pregnant at her age.

"Lucky she had you to talk to" Ethel told her mother with a smile. Esmie faked a smile unable to get the girl off her mind. She hoped she was okay.

* * *

About a mouth later Esmerelda still now and then thought of Annie but no-one had told her anything so she didn't want to ask what had happened. Strangely enough after her first day pupils came to see her constantly. She had some that came to talk about how they are depressed, some that admitted they had eating disorders, some that wanted to talk about their home life, she even had Enid Nightshade come see her as the younger girl wanted to talk to someone about her parents. The girl loved them she just wanted to get some things of her chest about how they were busy a lot of the time and had to miss seeing her or going to events.

After every girl she had to file a form about it. The form did have names on it but never left her office, they were basically there so she could look back on and see how things changed for that pupil. One day she was sat filling one in when someone knocked.

"Come in" Esmerelda said without lifting her head. Said person walked in and then a voice Esmie vaguely recognised spoke.

"Hi" Annie said. Esmie looked up at the girl and smiled, happy to see her.

"Hi Annie, I have been thinking about you!" Esmerelda told her as she beamed at her.

"I wanted to say thank you, for what you did" Annie replied with a smile

"It is just my job" Esmerelda replied knowing she didn't do much.

"It was more than that, I was so scared and alone thank you" Annie told the blonde beaming.

"So how are things going?" Esmerelda asked desperate to know how the young girl was and Annie's smile didn't fade.

"My mum and dad were furious with me when I told them, not that I blame them for it, but it didn't last very long, they started to come around to the idea and became supportive" Annie told Esmie happily. Esmerelda was honestly so glad about that. She never wanted another teenager to be treated how she was by her parents.

"I am so pleased for you!" Esmie told the girl, thankful she did not have to suffer like she had.

"My boyfriend was strangely excited, he has a little brother and likes kids, we are still together and we spoke about it and decided to keep the baby" Annie explained to Esmerelda as she had been unsure about that last time they had met.

"Fantastic, I know you must be excited" Esmerelda told her even if she knew she would be scared about it too.

"Yes, my boyfriend is moving closer by me and I am going to live with my parents so they can help me as I am to young to do it all alone" Annie told Esmerelda.

"I am honestly so please Annie, it has all worked out" Esmerelda said smiling at the girl. She was glad she was having a better time than she had when she was a teenager.

Annie suddenly hugged Esmerelda tightly and smiled happily at her, Esmerelda was a little taken aback as she was not normally one for physically contact.

"I am so grateful, you are an angel" Annie told Esmerelda who fell quiet, never one to know what to say when she was complimented but she was so happy that things were going well.

Esmerelda was so happy she was able to help the youngster and she loved her job already. That way she didn't have to worry about having money for a house. Sauron could probably get them one but they didn't need one now.

* * *

"Miriam you work to much" Sauron told the woman as her and the girls spoke to him through mirror for their weekly mirror call and Esmerelda spoke about work for most of it. Work and her precious girls.

"Esmie has always had that problem" Sybil replied. Sauron laughed as Esmie scolded.

"Hey!" she said insulted that Sybil was not on her side.

"It is true, but that is why we love you" Ethel told her as she cuddled her. Sauron smiled.

"How is school going?" he asked the girls looking at them both

"Great!" Sybil said smiling

"It is alright" Ethel said with a small smile. Sauron laughed seeing she was grumpy so spoke.

"What is wrOng Ethel? Did Mildred blow up her potion but somehow got out of trouble?" Sauron asked knowing about Mildred from his daughter moaning about her all the time.

"Can we not talk about her? "Ethel said more annoyed than before.

"Don't be a grumpy chops Ethel" her father said. Sybil cut in then remembering something she had to say.

"I am doing okay now, my potions are getting better" Sybil told him happily as she had not blown one up in a while. Sauron sighed.

"Magic is so cool" he said wishing he could do it too and he still had his powers.

"You should study to be a physic or something, that is something you can do Sauron" Esmerelda joked. Sauron closed his eyes and rubbed his temples and the young girls laughed.

"What are you doing?" Esmerelda asked shaking her head.

"Making a physic predication" he said as he rubbed his temples more "I predict that….Miriam will get a new hairstyle" the man said causing the girls to laugh hard.

"I am fine with my own hairstyle thank you Sauron" Esmerelda told him laughing herself at her ex's silliness.

If only everyone had known Sauron's predication would come true. Esmerelda would soon have a new hairstyle.


	27. Chapter 27 - Happiness At Last

A/N: Sadly this is the last chapter, I thought it was about time I wrapped it up as I can't do much more with this. Thank you to everyone for your support and in particular to the stargate time traveler for always supporting my stories and reviewing. It means so much. A new story will be started next week so keep an eye out!

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Seven

 **Happiness At Last**

The next morning Esmerelda made her way down to the great hall for breakfast. She always made sure to have breakfast with Ethel and Sybil as she didn't see them as much now she was working. She walked past a table where Felicity was sat with Mildred and her friends and saw Felicity look at her with wide eyes as she walked past.

"What is wrong with you?" Esmerelda asked wondering why the brunette was being odd. Mildred, Maud and Enid looked at her too.

Unbeknown to Esmerelda her hair was getting lighter by the second. She had always had darker hair than Ethel and Sybil as Esmerelda but her hair was getting lighter and changing back to the colour she had when she was a teenager as Miriam.

"Good morning to you too" Esmerelda said shaking her head and making her way to the table on the other side of the room where Ethel and Sybil were. She felt stares on her as she walked so sat down quickly.

"Everyone is being so weird today" Esmerelda commented as she sat down. Ethel and Sybil stared at her in disbelief.

"Oh not you two as well, why is everyone being so odd today?" Esmerelda asked not realising her hair was now as blonde as Ethel and Sybil's.

"Mum….what have you done to your hair!?" Ethel asked looking confused as she looked at her hair.

"My hair? Nothing why what is wrong with my hair?" Esmerelda asked

"You are more blonde than Ethel and I" Sybil commented as she also looked at Esmerelda confused.

"What don't be silly I am not.." Esmerelda started by saying as she cast a spell to send a mirror to her and looked in it. "Good Merlin I am as blonde as you and Ethie" Esmerelda commented as she looked at her hair confused. She had not seen it that colour in years.

"Well your hair is naturally lighter, you have to take that potion to keep your appearance don't you?" Ethel commented as she started to understand what was going on.

"And now your secret is out you haven't being taking it, it must just be wearing off" Sybil finished as she understood where Ethel was going with her logic.

"Yes, that must be it, it is going to take some getting used to" Esmerelda said. She really didn't want to do potions or spells to mess with her hair again, they always wore off anyway so she didn't think it was worth it. Just then Miss Hardbroom appeared, she had been wanting to give Miss Cackle a reason for Esmerelda not being fit to work at the school and opened her mouth to scowl Esmerelda about her dyed hair. Cackles was strict on dying hair.

"Before you say anything this is my natural colour, my parents made me change it when I was keeping my secret, the potion has worn off" Esmerelda told her before she had a chance to say anything as she knew what she was thinking.

"We have pictures to prove it" Ethel told her teacher sticking up for her mother.

Hecate closed her mouth, glared, and then walked off knowing she really couldn't tell the girl off for a potion wearing off and wearing her natural colour.

* * *

Esmerelda was surprised how much attention her hair got over the week. It just proved how unusual dyed hair was in Cackles, anyone would think she had got a head replacement with how much people stared at her light blonde locks.

Luckily her hair did not affect her job. Pupils still came to her, even if she did get a few first years who went to see her just to stare at her hair which she had to send away, but others came to her not knowing what else they could do and many tears were shed in her room and of course most of the talks reminded confidential.

College was going well too. It was interesting and Esmerelda and Marisol were friends now. They were the ones who went around together during breaks and Esmerelda was so relived to meet someone so unjudgmental.

"I am not going to judge on something that happened years ago, what is the point?" Marisol would always say and Esmerelda would smile hoping she could meet Ethel and Sybil at some time.

* * *

Sauron found Esmerelda's hair colour change hilarious as he couldn't believe his predication had come true.

"It is not that funny Sauron" Esmerelda told him as he laughed his head of when they mirrored him on Thursday.

"Sorry, I just can't believe I got it right, I was making it up as I went along" Sauron told Esmerelda who had to smile even if she was annoyed.

One thing that was coming out of Esmerelda's hair colour change was it was seeming to help Sauron with his amnesia, he recognised her more after all and it was bringing back memories.

"Remember that time I spiked Cackle's coffee and her hair turned bright pink and she didn't realise why everyone was laughing in assembly? She never found out it was me" Sauron said and Esmerelda looked at the girls surprised as Sauron had never spoken about memories from their past before.

"Yes I remember…..I am surprised you do" Esmerelda told him looking confused. Sauron smiled in response.

"I am surprised too...it just came to me" he told the girls and even though it was such a small memory it was reassuring because it meant one day he might regain all his memory back and at least remember Miriam properly and other memories of his past that he had once cherished.

* * *

One day when Esmerelda was reading in her bedroom after finishing work Ethel walked in with Sybil and they both looked guilty.

"What have you done?" Esmerelda asked knowing they were up to something

"Nothing, we just want to ask you something" Sybil replied playing with her hands nervously.

"Oh, then ask away, don't be nervous, you can talk to me about anything" Esmerelda told them and Ethel and Sybil looked at each other before Ethel spoke.

"Are you and Sauron getting back together?" Ethel asked nervously and Esmerelda looked confused so Sybil went on.

"He is getting his memories back and we know you still like him" Sybil said explaining to her sister how they came to the conclusion they did. Esmerelda knew it was time to talk to them seriously about this so she tapped the bed and they all sat next to her.

"I don't know, maybe one day who knows? But he has not being back in my life very long, I don't want to rush things" Esmerelda told them as she put an arm around each of them. "But if I ever felt like we would be getting back together I would always ask you two first how you would feel about it, so don't worry" Esmerelda told them never the type to just get together with someone and put it on the girls. They came first and always would.

"If you do you might have another child" Ethel told her mother as she sighed and Esmerelda knew that was the real worry about this, that was why Ethel and Sybil were being so odd.

"I don't think so Ethel, if Sauron and I decided to get back together I think we have both had enough of drama for a lifetime, plus I have enough with keeping you two in check" Esmerelda told the girls with a laugh. Ethel let her shoulders relax, clearly feeling better. Ethel was much nicer now, well to her mother and sister anyway, but things would not change over night and she would always feel that worry of rejection deep down.

Esmerelda kissed both of their heads "Come on you two let me be the one to worry, we best go to dinner before there is nothing left" Esmerelda told her sisters.

"Let's take our time, hopefully there will be nothing left" Ethel told her mother as she pulled a face not wanting to eat the cement like food.

"I know it is disgusting but don't worry, Sauron sneaked a box of food in through the mail, we can have some after dinner" Esmerelda told the girls who smiled.

"ALRIGHT! Sybil shouted happily as she ran out the room, desperate to eat her food so she could go back to the bedroom and eat the food Sauron had brought them.

Esmerelda smiled as they ran off. She never thought she would be able to tell her secret but she was glad it had come out and things had turned out how they had.

"Wait up you two" Esmerelda said as she rushed after Ethel and Sybil.

She caught up with Ethel and Sybil and they all made it down to the hall happily. For the first time in many years Esmerelda could say she was truly happy now she was not hiding such a huge secret and she was able to mother Ethel and Sybil how she wanted. Sybil was not really her child but she had always loved her as much as Ethel so she saw her that way.

Esmerelda Hallow would not change anything and as she looked at Ethel and Sybil she smiled thinking how lucky she was to have them and how happy she was her secret was out and she could start living properly without fear.

Her dark secret was out, and she had never felt such a weight of her shoulders.


End file.
